


R E M E M B E R

by PeriwinkleParadise



Series: R E M E M B E R [1]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Mental Instability, Romance, Slow Build, Tragedy, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-01-06 12:54:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 106,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeriwinkleParadise/pseuds/PeriwinkleParadise
Summary: As a freelance performer, you didn't dream of much. The occasional smile of a child, maybe a bit of cash so you could eat. You thought you had it all. . .until he came into your life. Now, your mind is filled with rose petals, love and budding memories that you hold dear. But darkness lingers, just beyond reach. Someone is calling you and your beloved to a place that is unknown to all. The price to get to this unknown place? Memories.





	1. Aphonic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a spur of the moment performance, you are called to Spade Castle where you meet a new yet familiar face and are tasked by the king to come up with a routine with this person. All in one day. Or face the consequences.

"Yay!"

"Oh my goodness!"

The sounds of the crowd's elated cheers and shocked gasps graced your ears, its sound like that of music to your entertainer soul. From behind the black mask you always wore, you could see the happy grins of the children as they clapped to the beat of the music and the happy faces of their parents. Everyone's eyes were glued to you, watching your every move. Under normal circumstances, you would be unnerved by having all the attention on you. You were a rather introverted and shy person. But all of that disappeared the second you started up a routine. Performing made you extroverted and your routine was your way of ‘talking’. And you couldn’t stop. It didn’t matter how big, old or young your crowd was, their cheers, applause and entertainment was what you lived for. Their unbridled joy gave you the confidence you needed to perform your heart out. And perform your heart out you did. You pulled out every trick in the book. From twirls and little dances to juggling and balancing every object you could get your hands on. You did it all and it was exhilarating. Your heart pounded hard from the exertion and excitement. The elation and euphoria giving you a certain kind of high that had you feeling confident with every move you made. This was your element. This was what had you shinning brighter than the stars. You didn’t want it to end. But every routine had to have an ending, much to your dismay and yours was no exception.

Wanting nothing more than to wow the crowd with a rememberable and jaw-dropping finale, you circled around the water fountain the sat in the middle of town. Tucked neatly behind the fountain and out of sight from the audience was your final and most beloved object, a giant rainbow coloured walking globe. You were grateful that the audience could not see your overly proud smile as you set the ball on the lip of the fountain. With flawless grace, you hopped onto the lip of the fountain and did a little cartwheel onto the ball. Fully upside down, you rolled the ball around on the lip of the fountain. Once in front of the crowd, you stopped the ball and found your balance. The crowd erupted into cheers at the sight, the sound making your heart swell with pride. Not wanting the cheers to stop, you decided to add a little pizzazz to the performance. Carefully, you began to ‘walk’ on the ball, spinning it slowly and allowing you to spin with it and see the crowd. Seeing their faces light up from such a simple trick and the sounding applause made you beam under your mask. Feeling satisfied that you had properly entertained them, you did a small flip off of the ball. Landing on your feet like a cat, you took an elaborate bow to signify the end of the show. Your audience cheered and clapped for your job well done before tossing a few gold pieces your way. With no way to say aloud your thanks to them for the kind generosity, you took a few more bows and watched from the holes of your mask as the crowd slowly dwindled down and gradually become non-existent.

You waited, making sure everyone had left before you began to pick up the gold pieces. Each piece you touched had you mouthing a silent ‘thank you’. It wasn’t lost on you that your audience didn’t actually have to pay you for your acts. You performed for free and you never set up a proper place for them to place gold like most performers would do. It just didn’t feel right to charge, especially since young children tended to be your main demographic. However, you were always so grateful for every gold piece you received. Every piece allowing you to continue doing what you loved most. With the last piece in your hand, you stopped and silently counted your earnings only to be surprised at the total being 25 gold pieces. That was perfect. It was enough to buy the groceries that you needed today. Feeling grateful, you pocketed the gold pieces and began cleaning up the area. You worked fast, not once letting your hidden smile leave your face. Not at all today did you expect to earn so much nor you audience to be so generous and kind. It was a blessing, one that you couldn’t wait to write to your mother about. She would be so proud. Even more, she would be so happy to hear that you were not a starving performer and that things were going well. Grinning proudly from ear to ear, you picked up the last small bouncy ball and stored it away in its case. You took hold of the case before going to your walking globe and placing it under your arm. With one final check to make sure you had everything, you walked to your personal shopping trolley, placed all your items inside and began your long walk to the store.

Castle Town was a bustling little old-style town, filled to the brim with eccentric Darkners that called the place home. You did too. For the whole of your life, you had lived in this little town, everyone working with you and your muteness. It was a bit of a struggle for some to understand you, which you came to expect and understand. Listening, reading and understanding Hands was not easy. But while most didn’t know what you said there were some who learned how to read and listen to Hands just to talk to you. It was a kind gesture, from kind-hearted Darkners, for a kind little town that you were proud to call home. You had plenty of opportunities to leave Castle Town and start a new life closer to the Castle. Doing so would be a smart move, as most have already told you. But you just couldn’t bring yourself to leave your colourful home. You loved it here. The old brick buildings with their colourful roof-tops straight from one of your fairy-tale books were beautiful and gave off an air of ancient quirkiness but also one of familiarity and nostalgia. Inside those brink buildings were a variety of colourful shops with a variety of bits and bobs and knickknacks. Each store lit up the streets and beckoned you and everyone around you inside to its delights. It was difficult to not be lured in, and most didn’t succeed. Even you struggled as it took all your willpower to not be distracted by their goods and continue your way on the busy streets. Hustling and bustling about and making the narrow cobblestone streets busier than what they needed to be were Darkner residents of Castle Town, laughing and talking loudly with one another about various on goings in town before running off to the next place they needed to be. Whether it was shopping or going home, everyone’s movements were like clockwork. Methodical and machine-like yet relaxed and with no care in the world. You found it mesmerizing.

Conscious of joining in the herd Darkners with a full shopping trolley, you carefully navigated through the large group of Darkners. Occasionally, someone would call your name to grab your attention and you would wave at them as your hello. But most of the time, you kept your mind focused on your destination. In the distance, you could see its brown brick storefront and the huge coloured sign saying ‘Grocer’ that sat in front looming ahead. It didn’t take long for you to close the distance between you and the store. In a short time, you found yourself standing in front of the large brick building, shuffling your performance items to make room for the groceries you were about to get. You felt unprepared as you walked through the doors of the store and bombarded with a rainbow of fresh produce and other colourful food items. Normally, you carried with you a little paper list of items that you needed to pick up. But you didn’t have that this time since you hadn’t expected to make enough gold to go shopping today. Instead, you were forced to rely on your mental list. And it was unreliable due to the fact that you were easily distracted by the assortment of yummy things that were begging for you to buy. It took a lot of self-discipline and focus to not be fooled into their delicious tricks of culinary pleasure and to help yourself, you mentally repeated your shopping list mantra over and over. Bread, milk, eggs, tissue paper. Bread, milk, eggs, tissue paper.

“Hello Ms. Harlequin.”

Your shopping list mantra was completely forgotten as you looked for the owner of the familiar voice that had called out to you. Your eyes scanned the area until you finally spotted your old friend, Seam, limping towards you. You had met Seam back when you were a young freshman in college. He owned a little shop that you had visited frequently for candy and the two of you hit it off with ease. He told you many harrowing stories of his time living through the economic recession and downfall of the kingdom and how he lost his left eye. But he also told you many heart-warming stories of how he used to be the court magician to the king and performing with his best friend, who he always mentioned was about your age. You enjoyed every single tale he told, utterly enthralled in them and often being late for class as a result. And even though you went to school to learn how to be a performer, it was Seam that ultimately taught you everything you knew. From using magic to aid in your shows, to simple tricks like walking on your hands and spinning plates. He taught you everything and you were so grateful to him. Seam hadn’t changed much since those younger days. The button that replaced his missing eye still looked rather painful. His blue-grey fur was still fluffy as always just as his limp was still bad. Or maybe his limp had gotten worse, it was hard to tell. He hid it so well. You gave him a little wave the moment he stopped in front of you.

“Still wearing that mask, I see.” Seam spoke softly now, his signature brown cape billowing around him like a soft yet tattered blanket. “How are you?”

 _“I’m doing well_.” You signed carefully, aware that Seam was not confident in listening and reading Hands. “ _And you?”_

“I’m doing fine.” Seam responded. You couldn’t help but notice that he sounded a bit winded.  “Have you forgotten your shopping list today? How rare.”

You nodded your head and gave him a dejected look. There was so much more that you wanted to say. But you just couldn’t convey it all in facial expressions alone and you didn’t want to go rambling off in Hands only to confuse Seam. It was times like these that you hated being born mute. You envied everyone else and their ability to talk and express themselves freely with their voices. You wanted to do the same. But sadly, the only way you could truly express yourself was when you were performing. Not that it was a bad thing, but . . .Without a way to say what you wanted to say, you let the conversation die on your end and waited for Seam to continue it on his own. He didn’t say anything and instead reached inside his cloak pocket and pulled out a pen and a small piece of wrinkled paper. He tried his best to flatten the paper out before handing it and the pen to you.

“Here you are. Can’t have you getting lost in the store like you did that last time.” Seam chuckled.

You pouted at the dreaded memory but signed him a thank you anyway. Wasting no more time, you remembered your list and quickly jotted it down. You double checked it just to make sure you hadn’t forgotten anything before you turned the paper over and began scribbling like a madwoman. Everything flowed out of you like water as you recounted your day. You made sure to emphasize just how much you made from your solo impromptu performance before you handed the piece of paper back to Seam for him to read. Seam read the little note in silence before smiling big at you, his one good eye squinting shut as his face beamed with pride.

“You made that much in a single performance? Congratulations!”

You smiled, proud that you had earned a compliment from your hardened friend. You signed a quick thank you as Seam handed the paper back to you. Almost immediately and you started writing again, the words you wanted to sign flowing easily from you to the pen and onto the paper. Once you had finished, you handed the paper back to Seam only to be surprised when you saw standing next to you, a Ruddin guard from the castle. They looked tired, like they were not getting enough sleep as they placed their gold encrusted spear behind their back, showcasing their ornate clothes. Red and white gems were embroidered onto their uniform and gold lining trimmed the otherwise white outfit. Boldly blazoned on the front was a black spade. This guard was from the Spade King. Anxiety started to eat away at you as you tried to figure out just how important this guard was and whether or not you or Seam were somehow in trouble. You were pretty sure that the red indicated their rank in the castle. Maybe a high ranked guard? Did that mean trouble? You weren’t sure. But compared to yours and Seam’s measly clothing, this guard didn’t fit in and it brought a lot of stares your way.

“Excuse me, are you Ms Harlequin?”

You nodded your head, nerves making the movement jerky and somewhat unnatural.

“You are being summoned by his majesty, the Spade King.” They spoke calmly and clearly. “He requests your presence immediately.”

“Oh, what did you do Harlequin?” Seam teased.

You pouted at him, not appreciating the teasing one bit as you tried to ask the guard specific questions about this meeting with the king. They seemed utterly confused and lost with your rapid hand movements, causing you to stop abruptly and look to Seam. He looked down to you and smiled. The look was mischievous in nature and had you worried about what was going to come out of the old man’s mouth. You prayed for him to question this surprise summon, ask why the Spade King wanted you specifically or why the sudden urgency of the call. Anything to get more clarification and knowledge about this sudden call to the castle. But . . .

“She’ll be right there.” He said with a kind smile. “Thank you.”

You watched in horror as the Ruddin guard turned around and walked away before turning to Seam in frustration. Immediately you began signing at him, irritation making your hands fly fast with questions. Seam looked at you with blankness in his eye, making you throw your hands up in frustration. How you longed to be able to talk. Things would be so much easier if you could. And you would have been able to handle your business with that Ruddin guard instead of having to rely on others who knew not what you were thinking or feeling. You sighed as defeat consumed you, your earlier frustration simmering down to nothing more than a dull roar. You didn’t want to be upset with Seam. He didn’t know nor could he understand you. Neither could the guard for that matter. There was no reason to let your emotions take control of you, even though it was isolating to have no one be able to understand you. A soft paw laid on your shoulder, knocking you out of your thoughts. You looked up to see Seam smiling softly at you. His eyes carrying old wisdom in them as he looked at you, deep in those dark pools was understanding of how you felt.

“I have no clue what you were saying, dear. You speak much too fast for my old eyes and ears to keep up with” Seam spoke softly as he gently squeezed your shoulder. “But come on, you don’t want to be late for your audience with the Spade King. Trust me.”

You didn’t quite understand what he meant by that, but you weren’t able to get his attention and ask as he snapped his fingers and a bluish-purple portal opened. The colours swirled into one another, mixing into an indistinguishable mess but you could see a structure just faintly on the other side. Mesmerized, you didn’t notice Seam pushing your personal shopping trolley into the portal until it was too late. Before you could protest, he took hold of you hand and led you into the portal. Within an instant, you were standing in front of Seam’s shop. The raggedy wooden shop-stand was withered from years of sitting out in the field proudly and dealing with the elements. However, that didn’t stop it from having an ethereal air about it due to the red-leaved trees that surrounded it. You loved these trees. They were something akin to magic with their always red leaves and galaxy speckled bark. And that wasn’t even mentioning their strangely yet delicious star-shaped fruit. No other trees in all of the Dark World grew such fruit, making these field local trees special. The overly sweet fruit were used to make your favourite candies, that only Seam seemed to sell for some reason. Long ago, you had assumed it was because he was in the area but as you grew you found that it was because only a few trees actually bore fruit and he just so happened to pick them before anyone else could. Seam was awful in a lovely kind of way and you would have told him so if he wasn’t so busy pushing you in the direction of the castle.

“Off you go. I’ll make sure to take your things home for you. Make sure to give the Spade King my regards.” He patted you on the back before taking hold of your trolley. “Oh, and be on your best behaviour. That means no mouthing off or questioning the King, no matter how terrible his decisions.”

You looked to him and shook your head, not approving of his poor joke, before you turned back to face your destination. In the distance you could see the tops of the castle, the spires much darker than what they used to be. It was a sign of how things had changed in the Dark World. At least that was what Seam had always said when he told you his stories of the before times. You swallowed down the anxious nerves that were starting to build as you turned and waved a goodbye to Seam before setting out on you small adventure. You were already a vast majority of the way there thanks to Seam’s teleportation magic, which you made a mental note to thank him for the next time you saw him. Without his magic, the trip to the castle would have been a much longer one. Instead, all you needed to do was cross the Great Board and then navigate your way through the Scarlet Forest. Then you’d be at the castle. Crossing the Great Board was easy, if not a bit scary due to the Ponmen who guarded the area. It was the forest that posed a much bigger problem. The forest was beautiful but huge and sprawling. You tended to get lost in it due to poor direction skills and the lack of proper signs in the forest directing folks on where to go. But you figured you’d tackle that once you got to it. Instead, you wanted to enjoy your short walk through the fields before you got to the Great Board.

You took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh air, you soft steps loud against the crunchy leaves littering the ground as you marched onwards towards your destination. Your mind wandered freely with thoughts. Why did the Spade King want to speak to you? You were pretty much a nobody in terms of rank, wealth and popularity. No one really knew you, except for Seam. Yet, the King specifically chose to seek you out and ask you to go to the castle? It made no sense and you couldn’t fathom what this audience with him could be about. It wasn’t like you had done anything to be in trouble. You had permission to perform in the town centre. So, what was this meeting about? You wracked your brain for an answer only to come up with nothing. You took another deep breath, this time noting how the air grew colder as you neared closer to the Great Board. It was a perplexing situation to be in, one that you wished you were not a part of. All you had wanted was to finish your grocery shopping then go home and rest for the remainder of the day, your performance tiering you more than you had originally thought it had. Or perhaps you were so tired because deep down, you didn’t want to go to the castle. You weren’t sure. Regardless, this was not at all what you had been expecting. You just hoped that whatever the King wanted wouldn’t be too out of the line for you.

Within mere moments, the scenery changed from the open, tree scattered fields to a darkened and gloomy area. Even the ground was not safe from the sudden shift of tone as the dirt path was changed to a red and black checked floor. The Great Board, acting as a sort of checkpoint station, stood out like a sore thumb against the scenery of the fields. It was jarring. Lining the sides of the board were marble statue stands and atop those stands were the Ponmen, the front guards of the castle. They stood motionless like statues, but you knew that they were watching your every move. It was unnerving but you kept walking despite your fear. The Ponmen were dangerous darkners, trained in the art of annihilating threats to the King and to the castle before they even reached the castle. The Great Board was a few kilometres away from the castle, yet the Ponmen guarded the place like it was the castle gates. It was admirable yet alarming because, according to Seam, it wasn’t always like this. You couldn’t remember a time when the Great Board wasn’t so heavily guarded. To you, the fall of the kingdom was just a story that Seam had told you. In your eyes, there was no fall because the kingdom had always been dark and heavily guarded. It was the looming darkness that had you worried as to why the Spade King had summoned you. Still, you pushed away your fear and continued on, making sure not to look directly at the Ponmen as you passed by. In moments, you saw the entrance to the forest. It took everything in you to not run there just so you could get past the Great Board. Instead, you picked up your pace and quickly closed the gap between you and the forest.

Releasing the built-up tension with a soft sigh, you found yourself standing at the entrance to the forest. The area opened up from the blackness and back to open air. For kilometres, all you could see was the beautiful scarlet leaves of the bushes and trees. It was breath-taking and a relief to be away from the Ponmen but it also filled you with a sense of dread. Swallowing your fear, you took your first steps inside. Almost instantly, the sea of scarlet foliage soon swallowed you up in its leafy embrace. It was so nice to finally be out of the Ponmen’s territory. A part of you wanted to just lay in the forest and get lost in your daydreams, but you couldn’t. Instead, you slowly began to comb your way through the forest. It was as you came to your first fork in the road that you wished you had someone else with you. Navigating the forest would have been so much easier if you had a partner. For starters, the friendly banter would keep the daunting feeling of getting lost at bay. And what you wouldn’t give for a little friendly banter right about now. Instead, you were stuck trying to decide which way to go. Left, or right? Left, or right? Which way did you go the last time you were here? Wait. . .when was the last time you were here? You couldn’t remember. The urge to scream your frustration came over you like hot fire. It was a silly and fruitless feeling seeing as you couldn’t scream. So, you fought the urge back and randomly pointed to a direction and started walking. Left it was then. And you were going to keep going left until you made it through.

You walked aimlessly in the random direction you picked, every now and then picking left when you came to a fork. Deep down, you were hoping that it was the right choice to only go left but more than that you wished to go home. Yes, the forest was beautiful, and, in most occasions, you would love to be frolicking in it but not today and not right now. It was already getting late and you were starting to get hungry. And as you walked and the beautiful scenery didn’t show any signs of you getting anywhere, panic started to rear its ugly head. You knew that it was pointless to panic. Doing so wouldn’t get you any closer to getting out of the forest but you couldn’t stop the rising adrenaline. For kilometres, you walked with no change or indication that you were even going to right way. You wanted to stop and turn around, but you feared that doing so would get you even more so lost. So, you pressed forward and were rewarded for your patients. Standing in the clearing was a colourful little bake sale, devoid of all customers. It was such a breath of fresh air that you nearly ran towards it like your life depended on it. Greeting you were three colourful stalls whose owners where getting ready to pack things up for the evening. That explained why the place was deserted. You quickly went to the only stall still open and grabbed the owner's attention.

“Hello, it is five gold for a heart donut. Would you like one?”

You nodded your head and grabbed your coin purse from your pocket. Pulling out five gold, you laid the pieces on the stand for the young owner. The kind Darkner took the pieces and went to work making a donut. While you waited for them to be finished, you looked on the Darkner’s shirt and noticed a name tag saying ‘Hathy’. You would have commented on their lovely name if you hadn’t been unsure if they knew how to read hands. Instead, you waited patiently for your donut. It didn’t take long for Hathy to hand you a giant piping hot frosted donut in the shape of a cartoon heart. It was so cute and a part of you didn’t want to destroy the adorable creation by biting into it. But you were starving, and the donut smelt so good. You took a bite and warm strawberry frosted donut filled your mouth. It was heavenly and you couldn’t stop yourself from taking another bite. And then another. In a matter of moments, you had devoured the thing and were left looking at Hathy in embarrassment over your lack of manners. They didn’t seem to mind though and in fact smiled at you.

“You seem lost, lil’ missy.” Hathy suddenly commented. “Can I help you find your way?”

You nodded, eager to finally get some directions, and pointed towards the castle.

“Ah, the castle. Just pass the whispering tree and you’ll end up at the castle in no time.” Hathy said with a knowingly air to them. “Just make sure to stay away from the tree and go completely straight and you’ll make it by evening.”

Without a proper way to convey your thanks, you bowed to Hathy and then took off. You felt a bit rude for just leaving poor Hathy like that. But the desire to get to your destination sooner than evening fall had you practically power walking to the castle. The small clearing where the bake sale was slowly become nothing but a distant memory as the red foliage surrounded you once again. It was beautiful but under these circumstances, it was suffocating and oppressive. You hadn’t thought that this journey to the castle would have taken you this long. And then you had to return home too. And if going to the castle was taking you until evening, then that would put you at returning home around late nightfall and if there was one thing you absolutely didn’t want to do was walk the forest late at night. That was a recipe for disaster. But what could you do? You didn’t have teleportation set up everywhere. But there was someone who did. Seam. You could call him and ask him to help you home. Though you did have to wonder if he had teleportation set up near the castle. Was that even allowed? Wait, did Seam even have a phone?

The sudden sound of indistinguishable whispers grabbed your attention and made you lose track of your thoughts. The sound a cacophony of little voices all talking amongst and over each other yet talking about nothing as you couldn’t make out a single word. You looked around for the source of the strange sound only to find no one. No fey folk whisking you away into their magical fey world like in your fairy tales, no little children playing a cruel joke on you. Nothing. You were alone except for the swaying trees. But one tree stood out from the rest. Its branches hung low and looked more like a willow than the oak look of the rest of the forest. Red flower petals floated down to the ground and littered the area. It was beautiful but something about it was haunting. You took a hesitant step towards it and the whispering became louder, the words a bit clearer yet still indistinguishable. Hathy’s words sprung back to you mind as you stepped away from the tree. This was the whispering tree and for some reason, you had to stay away from it.

You were not going to argue with Hathy’s warning. Something was not right about that tree and you were not going to find out what it was. You turned and walked away from the tree as fast as you could, getting back on the path you needed to be. You were grateful for your will to not be distracted as you saw the exit coming into view and the Castle gates within reach. It took everything you had to keep from running to the castle. You knew that there would be guards there and you didn’t want to make a fool of yourself on you way out the forest. Within moments, you were finally free of the scarlet forest and were greeted by ornate curly-cued gates adorned with little balck and white spades. Behind those hulking gates, the castle loomed above like a shadowy and ominous figure. It looked kind of spooky but you refused to be fearful. Instead, you walked on with pride. Ahead, the Ruddin guards all coloured in their respective ranked colours, snapped to attention, placing their weapons behind their backs so as not to frighten you. One lone Ruddin guard stepped ahead of the lined guards and walked to meet you halfway across the path.

“We’ve been expecting you, Ms Harlequin. Please follow us.” The Ruddin spoke clear and concise before turning away from you and walking to the castle.

You followed the guard. Once inside, you were shocked to see that the castle wasn’t as dark as it was on the outside. The walls and marble floor were an off grey colour and all around, you were bombarded with high-class items. The golden light fixtures coiled onto the walls and gave off a dim light, just enough for you to see everything. Dark wood end tables lined every door and plush off-white couches sat against the walls, ready to be sat in. Though you would have never even thought about sitting on such a classy looking sofa. The act seemed to inappropriate to do. The castle was much too fancy, making you feel like you didn’t belong. You felt too colourful, too  . . . clown like. It was a feeling you hadn’t felt in such a long time, so much so that you thought you had moved past from feeling embarrassed about your chosen profession. But seeing how affluent the castle was and its occupants, it made you feel inadequate. You took a deep breath and let the feeling pass, all the while never losing sight of the Ruddin guard you followed. You didn’t want to dwell in that, not while you were here.

The guard came to a sudden stop in front of a large ornate black and white door adorned with alternating black and white spades. The moment they opened it for you, your mouth opened in amazement. The golden trimmed room was large. So large that you were sure it could hold hundreds, if not thousands of people in it at once. You hadn’t seen a room this big since your senior year of college, when your class was asked to put on a school-wide performance. Memories of that fun time ran through your mind as you found yourself becoming excited. It would be a miracle if somehow, you were asked to perform in this room. The sets and props could be as big as you wanted them. Plus, you would get to move around freely in such a huge space. The potential possibilities were running wild in your mind. The only thing that would probably need to go were the potted plants that lined the walls of the room, just so you wouldn’t accidently break them.

In complete awe of the space, you had barely noticed that you were not alone in the room. Standing in the centre of the room was a young Darkner wearing an outfit much like yours except purple and black, his tale contorted to the shape of the letter J on his back. Try as you might, you couldn’t recall from your time in school, anyone you knew who wore such colours. It was only when he turned around and you saw his face that he became familiar. He was the student who was always getting into trouble and mischief. Though you had never met him due to him graduating years ahead of you, you knew of him. You couldn’t go anywhere in the halls without seeing his face plastered on papers describing his mischief and how everyone should try to not be like him. It all came back to you now. All except one thing. What was his name again . . .?

“Welcome, Sir Jevil and Ms Harlequin.”

The Spade King’s voice boomed before you even saw him. When the king finally emerged, you were amazed at just how huge he was. His height alone must have been the reason for such a huge room, you were sure. Everything about him commanded immediate attention, his strong air of importance making the room’s vibes come to a complete still. The excited energy was changed to that of respect the second he came in. Gone was your awe of the room and what replaced it was your awe of the king. You watched as he stomped over to his throne, his long black cape flowing behind him, and sat down with a thud. His posture was rather unkinglike as he slouched lazily in his chair. But though his posture needed work, his eye contact was perfect. Too perfect. Not once did the king take his eyes off of you and the Darkner named Jevil. It was unnerving how he stared unblinking. Even more, no one was saying anything. It was utterly silent, the only sound you could hear being that of your heart beating loudly in your chest. You stared back at the king, unsure of what he was waiting for. If he was waiting for anything. Against your better judgment, you gave a small wave to the king just to see if he was okay. Instantly, his dark eyes brightened, and he let out a loud bark of laughter. The sound echoing throughout the entirety of the room and startling the life out of you.

“HA! This is why I’ve picked you for the job!” The king bellowed.

“For what, if you don’t mind me asking, your eminence.” Jevil asked, his voice cool as a cucumber. It was like he had done this song and dance many times before.

The king sat for a moment with a huge grin on his face before speaking. “For entertainment.”

“Entertainment?” Jevil asked, stealing the question right off your hands. “Could you please explain, your eminence?”

“It is simple, my dear jester. I want the two of you to perform for my son and I. Permanently.”

You had so many questions and didn’t even know where to begin. What did he mean by permanently? Exactly what did he want you to perform? Did he want a comedy? A tragedy? A Romance? Oh god, you hoped he didn’t want a romance. There was no way you could perform a romance with someone you just met. You were starting to panic. The feeling slowly taking over you as even more questions filled your mind. When did he want you to perform? Where did he want the performance held? How age appropriate should it be? There were so many things that needed to be prepared first before just up and requesting a proper performance. Building anxiety had you feeling as if you were drowning. You had to get your questions out. You needed answers so you could plan properly. Instantly, your hands flew with the words you wanted so badly to say. Every question you had being shot off rapid fire quick. It took you a moment to finally see that the king was giving you a perplexed look, that you finally stopped your signing.

“My dear Harlequin, I have no clue what you are saying but allow me to answer what I think are questions.” The king started, his tone jovial. “First, you and Jevil will work together to perform and entertain for the entre court. You should be used to that, right Jevil?

The king smiled big at Jevil who could only stand there confused. You shared his feelings.

“Anyway, to test this new arrangement, I am giving you both a day to come up with a short routine. Anything will do.” The king smiled, the gesture looking more evil than friendly. “Just make it good.”

The king stood up, his hulking body towering over yours and Jevil’s for a moment before he spoke again. “Oh, and if things go well, I will arrange for the two of you to live in the castle.”

 He turned to leave. His billowing cape flowing behind in with an air of finality. He didn’t need to say that ‘no’ was not an option to his request. It was in the way he said his demands. It was in the way he walked as he left. Like he had complete dominance over the two of you and that any complaining would be snuffed out instantly. No matter how you looked at it, there was no getting out of this permanent arrangement. The air of the room returned to its original cheery way the second the king left the room. Every sense of urgency and anxiety had left with him, leaving you reeling from your adrenaline high. All your questions had been answered in a simple sentence. You had your assignment, your partner and your deadline. Now everything else was up to the two of you and how well the chemistry was between you. And it was the chemistry part that was the key factor in whether or not your spontaneous short routine was going to succeed or fail. You knew how to make a good and professional first impression, but the old tales of Jevil’s mischievous ways had you worried. Had he changed? Or had he stayed the same? This could go only one of two ways.

Weary, you turned to look at Jevil. When your eyes met, you had the answer you were most curious about. The irritation and frustration in his glower told you everything you needed. Jevil hadn’t changed. If anything, he had gotten worse. Why was he glowering at you? It wasn’t like you were the one who came up with this idea. There was no need for such nastiness. Still, you held his gaze. You refused to back down and succumb to his glare. It felt like the two of you had stared at each other for what felt like forever, each of you testing each other’s will. Jevil was the first to break eye contact as he turned away and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him. Alone in the giant audience chamber, you stood there with your thoughts racing. Without a doubt in your mind, you knew that performing with him was not going to be easy. Depending on how much he hated you, he could decide to purposefully sabotage the routine. Costing you a perfectly good gig and reputation with the king, which was something he already had, according to the king's words. The realization of the current situation made you fear for your routine all the more. This was not going to be easy. Not at all.

At least you were going to perform in this lovely giant room. Some wishes do come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the first chapter of my 30+ chapter story. Hopefully you like it. This is the long story that was inspired by the smutty short story I did, The Sound of Silence. So, if you want to know the basics of this story, i recommend you read that first. Link to it will be below.  
> As for this story, I'll be updating every Saturday. Though if you want to be ahead, it would be best to visit my blog where I upload chapters a week earlier. That is where chapter 2 is at the moment.
> 
>  **Here is my blog, please feel free to come and visit. It would mean the world to me :D**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com  
>   
> Link to The Sound Of Silence [[HERE]](http://periwinklesparadise.blog/2019/03/19/the-sound-of-silence-jevil-x-reader/)  
> 


	2. Concurrence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After pranking Seam, Jevil is summoned to Spade Castle where he is forced by the king to work with a mute Darkner. He is not happy about the situation.

Pride mixed with worry in the old man’s heart as Seam pushed the young woman’s trolley to the back of his shop. He was filled with pride because he was sure his young friend and adopted pupil was finally getting her chance to shine. This was what she had always wanted. There was no doubt in his mind that the king called for Harlequin because he wanted her to perform for him. It was wonderful news, one that Seam didn’t want to spoil for her before she got to hear it herself. But he was worried because the king was known to be . . . a bit eccentric in his ways and was bound to give the poor woman a hard time. Whatever test the king had devised for her was not going to be an easy one. Poor Harlequin was going to have to work, and work hard, in order to meet the king’s high expectations. Seam had to wonder if she was ready for such a task. He shook the thought from his mind. No, of course she was ready. That girl was born ready. With how much she talked on and on about performing being the thing that kept her alive, there should be no doubt in his mind. Yet, he still couldn’t help but worry about her. His friendship with Harlequin was quite precious to him and he wanted nothing more than for her to be happy.

The soft sound of glass bottles knocking together caught his attention and ended his rumination. Someone was in his shop. Normally, he would be ecstatic for having a customer. It wasn’t often that he did. But his shop wasn’t open right now, which could only mean one thing. A theif. It was such a rare thing to have a thief visit his shop. Most Darkners didn’t dare to do such a thing as most valued the honour system and doing good deeds. But just because most valued such a system, didn’t mean that everyone did. There were always a few bad apples in the bunch that needed to be dealt with. Gearing up for the worst, Seam summoned his magic. Wanting an inconspicuous place to gather his power, Seam collected his power to his most dominant hand. The pads of his right paw glowed a bluish-purple, ready to unleash a small barrage of pellet shaped bullets at his thief. Slowly, he opened the door the connected his home to the shop. It had been a long time since he had to do something like this. Memories of the past flooded his mind as he tried to concentrate. He felt ill-prepared for an encounter like this. He peeked from behind the creaked open door and saw a flash of purple. Purple? There was only one Darkner that he knew, who wore purple. A mischievous yet familiar giggle confirmed his suspicions.

Seam dispersed the magic that coloured his paw and opened the door. The sound startled the intruder, making him stop what he was doing, mid-action. Golden eyes filled with surprise stared back at him. His ‘intruder’ smiled a devious little smile, the emotion fitting perfectly on the little devil of a Darkner.

“Seamy!” The mischievous ‘intruder’ exclaimed as he brought the bottle he held, behind his back.

“Caught you, Jevil.”

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

The sound of the door slamming open scared the life out of him. So much so that he almost dropped the bottle he was holding. Jevil looked up to see his old friend staring at him with an all-knowing look in his eye. He couldn’t believe just how quickly Seam had found him. How had he done it? Usually, it took Seam a while to notice his mischief. Just yesterday, it took Seam a whole thirty minutes to notice that his wares were being moved right in front of him. But today, Seam was on his toes and had noticed him within a few minutes. Jevil didn’t know how to feel about that. On one hand, it made things that much more fun. The more observant the opponent, the more he had to be sneaky. But on the other, it meant that he was going to have to get better in order to match Seam. Match Seam of all people. It was an odd predicament to be sure, one that he never thought he would be in. But if that was what he had to do, then he would do it. However, he was prepared this time and had another trick up his sleeve. One so devious that Seam wouldn’t be able to notice until well after the fact. His plan B was so good, he wanted to laugh. There was still a chance he could still fool his old friend. Or at least give his friend a hard time when a real customer showed up. Jevil smiled and called to his friend, each passing second, hoping that it would be enough to distract while he hid the bottle poorly behind his back.

“Caught you, Jevil.” Seam said, his tone sounding unamused.

“So you did.” His fake smile disappearing just as soon as it had arrived as he looked down in mock defeat.

Everything was going according to plan. All he had to do was continue to act like he lost. Jevil sighed as he pulled the bottle from behind his back and placed it down on the counter. It was in the wrong spot. So were all the rest of the bottles that he had touched. He had made a complete mess of things. And though this trick wasn’t as good as his first idea, it was still pretty decent, all things considered. Seam was never going to notice. Jevil stepped away from the counter and watched with great intent as Seam walked behind the counter and sat in his usual spot. He was unsuspecting of a thing. Jevil was ready to do a cartwheel around the entire shop with how over the moon he was. His trick was succeeding and now Seam was sitting in a disorganized shop, completely unaware. It was hilarious. But he couldn’t let his guard down yet. He still needed to leave. Perplexed, Jevil wracked his brain. He hadn’t thought this far ahead, especially since he hadn’t thought that he would get caught so soon. The only exit plan he had would be sloppy, but there was still a chance that Seam wouldn’t notice. Jevil waved a simple goodbye to his friend and turned to leave the shop. The smile he had been fighting for so long was finally allowed to be exposed. He took only one step before he heard Seam clear his throat.

“Make sure to clean up the mess you made to my shop, jester.”

He turned around so fast; one of the tails of his twin tail hat whipped him in the face. “H-how?”

“Because I know you.” The old man said with an all-knowing smile.

Jevil couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This was unheard of. Seam, knowing he was being tricked? Seam knowing all of his planned moves? Jevil could not help but feel that he was losing his touch. Dejected, Jevil turned to face his old friend only to be greeted with that simple knowing smile. He couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated at the sight on that smile. It was somewhat irksome to have all his plans for trickery be shot down before they could even take off. He had worked so hard on them. Thought long and hard on them all of yesterday and some of today. However, Jevil refused to let that didn’t deter him. So what is Seam noticed all of his pranks. That just meant that he needed to get better at what he does. Pranking and playing jokes on others was what he lived for. And if his pranks and jokes didn’t succeed the first time, he would just try again later. So he needed to get better at his job. No problem. He was up for the task. However, there was one thing he was not looking forward to. And that was undoing all of his hard work. Not knowing where to start, Jevil went to the counter closest to Seam and began placing bottles back in their original ways.

“So, you usually have the shop open by now.” Jevil started. “Where were you?”

“Shopping. Then I bumped into a friend. You know, the one who is about your age.”

“Ah, yes. The girl you keep trying to set me up with.” Jevil chuckled.

“I would never. She deserves so much better than you.” Seam gave a hardy laugh.

Jevil ignored the blatant yet playful insult and continued with his forced chore. Though it was a joke, Jevil knew it was actually the truth. Seam talked highly about this girl whenever she happened to come up in their conversations. ‘She was destined for greatness’ or ‘She is a natural prodigy’ Seam would often say. It was clear that Seam thought well of her. And Jevil did too. After all, it was rare to know of a girl who was into the same line of business that he was in, minus the pranks and practical jokes. But it was hearing of all the things that she had done or was going to do that made it clear to Jevil that he would be a bad influence on her. From what he understood of her; she was a good girl. Much too pure and good natured. She wouldn’t stand a chance if he had ever met her. He had always been the bad guy, short tempered and causing mischief everywhere he went. They were alike but at the same time, much too different to have any sort of real connection. Their only connection was being friends with Seam. And Jevil was determined to have it stay that way. For her sake and for his.

“Excuse me, Sir Jevil.”

The sound of his name being called pulled Jevil out of his rumination. Turning to the sound, Jevil watched as a Ruddin high guard walked up to him. They looked like they had been staying up for the past week or so with how tired they looked. Though there was a chance that the king was keeping them so busy that they couldn’t sleep. That seemed like something that wacky-ass king would do. Jevil was shocked when the Ruddin came to a stop in front of him. Their gem embroidered robes and gold encrusted spear shimmering in the dimming daylight. Apparently, they hadn’t made a mistake in calling to him. That could only mean one thing. That the king wanted an audience with him. Normally, he would not have been opposed to that. Performing for the king once a week was what earned him money. But it was weird that he was being called even though he had already performed for the king this week. It was odd even for the wacky king, however Jevil saw this as an opportunity. This sudden call could turn into extra payment. At least that was what he hoped this situation could turn into. Jevil tried to contain his gleeful grin as he waited for the guard to speak the words he knew they were going to say.

“His majesty, the Spade King, would like an audience with you.” The guard spoke, the words exactly what Jevil had predicted would come out of their mouth.

“Of course he does.” Jevil muttered as he set the bottle he held in the wrong place.

“Be on your best behaviour.” Seam warned.

“Of course I will.” Jevil responded in a sarcastic tone.

With a mischievous cackle, Jevil ran off before Seam could scold him for being insolent. The little golden bells on the tips of his hat jingling wildly with every step he took. It was only when he was fully out of the old man’s sight did his running slow down to a brisk walk. Of course he was going to be on his best behaviour. Best behaviour asking for more gold pieces. Jevil laughed at the thought. This opportunity was what he had been waiting for, for a while now. It was high time that he was paid a bit more for his hard work. For years he had been busting his ass off entertaining the king and his brat, and for what? A messily fifty gold pieces a show. And only once a week on top of that. He deserved to be paid two times that and to perform more often. Like maybe five out of the seven days. Okay, maybe squeezing that much out of the king was a bit too ambitious, even for him. Plus, he didn’t really want to perform that much. That would end up being way more work than what he wanted to put in. But damn it if he wasn’t going to try to get something out of the crazy king.

There was practically a skip in his step as he thought of ways to get the extra pay. There was more to it than just asking the king for more gold. The Spade King was crazy, but not that crazy to just except a proposal like that. Just asking for more wasn’t going to work at all. He was going to have to be creative in his suggestion if he wanted to trick the king out of his money. Just the thought alone had him humming a jaunty tune as he walked. This was going to be a huge trick, one for the ages. It needed to be well plotted. Jevil thought hard. He could make up a sappy story about how his ‘family’ needed the extra gold. That could be entertaining, but the king might not fall for it. The king was a weirdo, but he did his homework on everyone who walked into his castle. Not a single detail was left out of the reports given to the king. He knew everything and the king knew that Jevil was estranged from his family. No, if this trick was going to work then it needed to be even better than a made-up sappy story. Jevil needed something bigger and better. Something grand that the wacky king would fall for. And maybe some confetti to celebrate.

Lost in deep contemplation, Jevil didn’t notice his surroundings until he had bumped into something. On instinct, he wanted to start fussing at whoever was blocking his way, the cruel words just on the tip of his tongue, ready to be lashed out. It was only when he saw what was actually in front of him that the biting words and fighting spirit quickly died within him. Glowing ominously and in a not so conspicuous spot was one of many Dimensional Doors in the Dark World. The brown wood of the door looked friendly, and the golden knob was just begging to be touched. But the glowing lights that showed just under the door was enough to deter even the bravest of Darkners. No one knew what was happening inside the Dimensional Doors. All anyone knew was that you go in one door, you end up coming out a different door that just so happens to be the desired location. It was nice and fast. But because of its ambiguous nature, most Darkners didn’t use the door system. Most except for Jevil. He wasn’t afraid of anything inside the door system, if there was anything. It made traveling the Dark World faster and more convenient, and that was all he wanted. Well, he also didn’t want to be anywhere near those Ponmen that guarded the Great Board. The only way to avoid them was to use the Demensional Doors.

Jevil opened the door and was greeted with a menagerie of swirling colours. Red, purple, blue and green. It was like a rainbow threw up in there. It was kind of mesmerizing to look at, but Jevil didn’t have time to be entranced by pretty colours. He needed to con the king. Chuckling at the silliness of his goal, Jevil stepped through the door. Instantly, he was swallowed by colours. His eyes struggling to adjust to the brightness of everything. Jevil didn’t even try to get used to the feeling of being interdimensional, because as soon as he had entered, he was already at the next Dimensional Door he needed to be at. Its brown wood lightened by the colourful insides of dimension traveling. Jevil opened the door and saw the stationary colours of the red leaved birch trees of the forest. Looming just outside the forest exit was the darkened castle. Jevil stepped out of the door and began walking towards his destination. A part of him regretted using the Dimensional doors as he was already at the castle but hadn’t finished planning his con. He had nothing and was starting to come up with garbage plans due to panic. He needed more time, he needed to think clearly. Wanting to give himself the time he needed, Jevil slowed his pace down to that of a snail’s.

It was just a shame that the walk to the exit of the forest was much too short, even with the slowed pace, as Jevil played out made-up scenarios in his head. None of them worked to his satisfaction and his time was now up. The curly-cued golden gates adorned with black and white spades creaked opened for him, allowing him to continue his slow wandering without interruption. The darkened black and white castle loomed above like a thundercloud. Jevil could remember a time when the castle hadn’t looked so ominous, though it was just a short time. He was in that age bracket of Darkners who saw the transition from the utter chaos of the downfall to the implementation of the somewhat peace that they had now. Not that it really mattered. The damage was done, and this was what they were living through. Some were suffering and some weren’t. He wasn’t because he sucked up to the king. And now he was trying to con more gold pieces out of the crazy ruler of the Dark World. But Jevil didn’t want to think about it like that. This wasn’t a con. This was a prank. One that would garner him more gold. Up ahead meandering about near the castle doors were a hoard of high ranked Ruddin guards. Their red and green robes adorned with gems red and green gems shimmered faintly in the twilight, making them look like the stars that twinkled above. The second they saw him, they snapped to attention, their sharp spears glittering menacingly in the twilight as they placed them behind their backs. The captain broke from the line and slowly approached Jevil.

“We’ve been expecting you, Sir Jevil.” The captain spoke, their voice sounding relieved like they weren’t sure that he was coming.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll show myself to the Audience Chamber.”

The poor Ruddin captain stuttered and sputtered, unable to get whatever it was they wanted to say, out. Jevil ignored them and continued on towards the ornate castle doors. He has been coming to the castle once a week for the past ten years. He was practically family. Jevil didn’t need a babysitter to guide him to the audience chamber, especially since he pretty much lived in that room. Once in front of the doors, Jevil was surprised that not one guard dared to stop him from entering the castle. Then again, why would they? Jevil made a beeline towards the Audience Chamber, his mind going a million kilometres a second as he tried to get his story straight before seeing the king. On the way, he passed by all the fancy cream coloured sofas and the mahogany end tables that lined the hallway. A part of him wanted to mess with the fancy décor, just for kicks and a bit of rebellion. Those curly golden light fixtures were just screaming to be turned upside down and the sofas needed a whoopie cushion or two. But he thought better of it. He was trying to get money not give the king a reason to have it be taken away because he somehow broke something messing with stuff.

With his hands tucked deep in his pockets and clenched into tight fists, Jevil made his way through the castle. Taking the last right turn, the huge Audience Chamber doors soon came into his line of sight. The black and white door adorned with alternating black and white spades, stood proudly in front of him. The second he opened the door, he would be face to face with the king. Jevil sighed, the breath sounding just as heavy as is trickster heart. What on earth was he thinking? He wasn’t a con artist. He was a joker. That fact showed hard as he hadn’t a single clue as to how to get more gold pieces from the king. Really, how did he expect to con the king of all people. What was he thinking? Well, it didn’t matter now. He was here and he was going to continue with what he set out to do. Quitting was never an option. Even if he had to stutter his way through an obvious lie and the king saw through it, he would keep going. As he stood in front of the door, his hand on the handles, memories of his old teachers’ yammering about the one rule that all performers must follow came back to him. The show must continue, no matter how bad it is. Jevil pushed the door open.

“My liege, I . . .”

The words died as soon as he had spoken them. Jevil entered the extravagant room, shocked that he was all alone. His eyes darted around the room, searching for anything or anyone only to find nothing. He was alone. Jevil couldn’t understand. What kind of audience with the king was this? Frustrated, Jevil crossed his arms and huffed. This was ridiculous. He walked all the way here and plotted a pathetic con and for what? The king wasn’t even here for him to try conning. And waiting didn’t make things better. Every second that passed standing in the black and white stripped room, was a part of his lame lie forgotten. Even more, Jevil felt awkward just standing in the centre of the huge room. He felt much too small in such a giant space, not doing anything. Normally, he would not have even thought about such a thing because he would have been performing. But standing here, doing nothing really brought home just how big this room was. And how ugly. The alternating black and white stripes hurt his eyes and the curly golden trim was just annoying at this point. It was the vibrant green plants in the room that made it bearable to be in, they brought a new colour into the pallet. It was refreshing to see the green as the other colours made him nauseated.

The sound of the doors creaking open knocked him out of his stupor. That surely had to be the king coming in. As to why the king was unusually quiet and using the main door and not the side entrance, Jevil didn’t know nor did he care. His heart was pounding, and nerves made him jittery. This was it. His moment to shine as bright as the gold pieces he imagined he would be receiving, was now. He turned around and saw instead of the king and his usual boisterous self, a young and timid woman. At least, he thought she was a woman. It was hard to tell due to the mask she wore. It was pitch black except for the little stars on the cheeks and it covered her entire face, save for her gunmetal grey eyes. Her petite frame and girlish looking attire had him fairly certain. Long dark hair draped down her back and looked like a pain to comb. Atop her head she wore a twin-tailed hat much like his own, except hers was blue and black. The arms of her blue and black attire were stapled with golden stars while her bottoms were alternating black and blue stripes. Her outfit was perfect for an acrobatic type of performance, which was interesting. But was she a performer? He had never seen her before, and the king had never let slip anything about hiring someone else. Just what in the world was going on?

“Welcome, Sir Jevil and Ms Harlequin.”

The king’s voice boomed before he even walked into the room. His huge body taking up a lot of space, but not nearly as much as the important air he exuded. His exalting attitude snuffed the relatively calm air of the room right out the second he stepped in. Every inch of the king was demanding that all eyes be on him. Even Jevil wasn’t safe from the command as his eyes stayed glued to the king. Slowly, the king made his way to his thrown, stomping the whole way. He then plopped ungracefully into his thrown with a thud and stared with intensity. Jevil was used to this odd treatment. The king was a weird Darkner who always stared with such ferocity, especially when he wanted to make sure he had everyone's attention. Which clearly, he didn’t. Jevil looked to the masked girl, only to see her doing the unthinkable. She was waving at the king! Surely this girl couldn’t be that stupid, could she? No one waved at the king like he was a friend, it was the stupidest thing you could do. He wasn’t a friend, he was the freaking king of the Dark World. He needed to be shown respect. Great, now he was sounding like Seam. Jevil resisted the hard urge to facepalm. This was going south real fast. At least the king was going to throw out the stupid girl. That would be entertaining to watch. Jevil waited for it, his mind playing the scenario out in full detail.

“HA! This is why I’ve picked you for the job!” The king bellowed suddenly.

The scenario he had been playing out stopped instantly. Jevil couldn’t believe his ears. The king was laughing? But what she did wasn’t even funny! Jevil just couldn’t understand what was going on here. Despite for answers, Jevil steeled himself to do the unthinkable. He was going to question the king.

“For what, if you don’t mind me asking, your eminence.” Jevil asked, keeping his composure so as not to look unprofessional.

A long moment passed with just the king staring intently and grinning like a madman. It was unnerving, and Jevil was never unnerved. But the king was motionless like a statue as he stared. Jevil had never seen the king look like this before and didn’t know if he had crossed a line or if the king was just being weird again. No, he had definitely crossed a line. Damn, Seam had warned him many times and yet . . . Certain that he had done something irrevocable, Jevil started thinking of ways to retract his question. He could make it seem like everything was just a joke. That always seemed to work. ‘ _Ha ha, just kidding your highness, I would never question you_ ’. It was stupid, but it was all he could think of being under this kind of pressure. The show must go on. Jevil practiced the lame excuse all the while waiting to see if the king would say or do anything. When the king shifted in his seat, Jevil prepared for the worse.

“For entertainment.” The king said, his grin never once wavering.

“Entertainment?” Jevil asked, acutely aware that he was questioning again. But he couldn’t help himself. “Could you please explain, your eminence?”

“It is simple, my dear jester. I want the two of you to perform for my son and I. Permanently.”

The two of them perform together. Permanently. What the actual hell? What was that whacky-ass king thinking? Surely Jevil has mentioned how he doesn’t like to work with others. The only exception being Seam, who retired forever ago. And even if he did like working with others, he did not want to be working with this girl, this Harlequin. First, Jokers and Harlequins didn’t work together. Their routines and designated rolls were completely opposite. There was no way this would work. And second, she hasn’t said a word since stepping into the room. Who knew what she was thinking or plotting, especially with that mask covering her face so no one could see her. He just couldn’t trust someone like that. And that was saying a lot since he was the shiftiest Darkner in all the Dark World. Jevil looked over to her once again, only to see her flailing her arms wildly. What on earth was she doing? Why was she doing that? God, he was surrounded by weirdos.

“My dear Harlequin, I have no clue what you are saying . . .”

Yeah, Jevil didn’t either. Was this really how she ‘talked’? Was what she was doing even considered talking? Jevil had never met a Darkner who couldn’t talk. How was he supposed to understand her if she couldn’t actually speak? Was he just supposed to learn arm flailing and hope for the best? That was ridiculous. There was no way he could work like that. There was no way he could or even wanted to work with her. He needed a way out of this failed arrangement. Anything would do. Who cares that saying no to the king was a punishable offense? Jevil for sure didn’t. Jevil racked his mind for an excuse. _‘Sorry your highness, but I’m not feeling well.’_ That could work, even if it did sound lame. _‘Sorry your highness, but there was a sudden death in the family.’_ No, that one wouldn’t work. The king knew about Jevil and his estranged family. Damn, why did ever excuse sound stupid as hell? Why were all his excuses resorting to his family, of all things? Why was saying no to the king so hard?

“ . . . right Jevil?”

The sound of his name being called knocked Jevil out of his stupor. He looked up to see the king smiling at him for some reason. The gesture looking odd on the king. Jevil had no clue what the king was talking about. Or why the king suddenly called him out. Did the king know that he wasn’t paying a lick of attention and that was why he called him out? He sure hoped that wasn’t it. Out of nervousness to what he was about to say yes or no to, Jevil decided to play it safe and do nothing. It seemed to be the right thing to do as the king started talking again.

 “Anyway, to test this new arrangement, I am giving you both a day to come up with a short routine. Anything will do.” The king smiled wider, the gesture holding a menacing feel to it. “Just make it good.”

The king then stood up, his hulking body towering over them and reminding Jevil that this Darkner was powerful and menacing. Everything had an air of finality to it. If Jevil spoke up and voiced his concerns, he would be shot down before even uttering a single protest. It wasn’t fair and it was times like these that Jevil hated the king. Jevil bit his lip to keep his building anger from getting him in deep trouble and watched as the king began to leave. The king only took one step before turning to them once again.

 “Oh, and if things go well, I will arrange for the two of you to live in the castle.”

With that final bombshell, the king left the room and the easy atmosphere returned once again to the audience chamber. Jevil was stunned silent, his previous anger subsiding. Had he heard that right? A chance to move into the castle, so long as this performance went well. That was a dream that most Darkners could only wish for. It wasn’t necessarily his dream, due to the fact that he knew the king was a nightmare in disguise. But he couldn’t ignore the fact that he was being handed this opportunity on a silver platter? Most Darkners would kill to have such an opportunity. Jevil was even sure that more deserving Darkners with more important skills and trades deserved such a chance compared to him. A Darkner who didn’t want to live in the castle. And to the still silent Harlequin, who seemed much too young and inexperienced to be leaving her mommy and daddy’s protection. Jevil didn’t understand. What in the world was going on? Just what was that whacky-ass king thinking?

He was about to leave the room when he felt eyes on him. Jevil turned and saw the silent girl staring at him. Her grey eyes peeking from behind that dumb black mask and piercing him to the core with words that she wouldn’t say. And that he couldn’t understand because he wasn’t a mind reader. He stared back at her, waiting for her to say something. When she didn’t, irritation started to build within him. What was wrong with her? Why was she just staring at him like that? What did she want? No, he didn’t care what she wanted. He wanted her gone and out of his life. Because if there was one thing he knew for certain, she was going to be the reason this forced performance was going to fail. She was inexperienced, he could tell just from her aura alone. She was baby green, probably still living with her parents or something. He couldn’t work with someone who had no clue what they were doing. Not only that but she was a Harlequin. They were known for their acrobatics and romance, not jokes and pranks. There was no way they could work together, not that he wanted to work with anyone anyway. Jevil had only worked with one Darkner and that was Seam. And he wanted it to stay that way. Anyone else was not allowed or wanted, and especially this weirdo girl who still hasn’t said a single word. He was furious, not just at her for staring stupidly at him but also at the king who was forcing him to work with her. He didn’t want to. One day to plan a routine with her acting like this? It was impossible.

Unable to take anymore of her and her incessant staring, Jevil stomped his way to the door and slammed the door behind him. Every boiling inch of him hoped that she got the message of his hatred of her as he tried to find the king. He wasn’t going to give up on backing out of this deal. There was really nothing in it for him. He didn’t want to live in the castle, he didn’t want a forced partnership with that dumb girl. All he wanted was money and he probably wasn’t going to get any with this forced routine. The thought made him even madder as he stomped through the halls. Every turn into more of the same halls made his blood boil even more. He honestly hated this castle and its labyrinth like floor plan. When he finally found the king sitting with the door open in his library, Jevil walked in without a single care in the world. Nothing could stop him. Not the many warnings from Seam, not the fact that his job was on the line. Nothing. It didn’t matter what the king wanted at this point. It wasn’t the king who had to put up with that girl. It wasn’t the king who had to work with her. Jevil slammed his hands onto the king’s giant desk and looked him straight in the eyes.

“I can’t do this.”

The king closed his book and looked Jevil dead in the eyes. “And what seems to be the problem.”

“I don’t want to work with that girl.” Jevil blurted out without thought.

“That is a shame.” The king started slowly, his tone sounding almost heartbroken. “I really wanted to see you two work together, since you two are the best in all the Dark World.”

Jevil refused to be suckered in with the king’s little innocent act and stood his ground. “Well, I can’t.”

“Hmm. . .” The king hummed. “Let me put it in a different way.”

Jevil watched in abject horror as the king stood to his full height, his gargantuan body dwarfing Jevil’s in an instant. He had never seen such a menacing atmosphere like this, especially not from the usual jovial king. It was if all the light in the library suddenly turned to pitch darkness in the blink of an eye. Jevil kept eye contact with the king, his neck craning to see up into the king’s face, though every part of him screamed not to. There was only darkness in those deep pools. Darkness that screamed danger and anger. He had finally done it. He had pissed the king off and was now going to be punished. Seam had always warned him of the king’s temper. Heck, Seam had always warned him of the king just in general. But did he listen? No. And now he was going to really get it. The king was terrifying. His deadly glare was even more so terrifying. So much so that Jevil had nearly looked away. But he knew doing so would be a big mistake. So, he forced himself to keep eye contact but the anger he had was gone. Long gone. And in its place was fear for his life and regret.

“I want the two of you to work together and I will not have you backing out.” The king growled. “If you persist, I will have you turned to dust. Do you understand?”

“Yes, your eminence.” Jevil mumbled quickly.

“Now leave!” The king bellowed.

Jevil didn’t need to be told twice as he nearly ran for the door. It was only when he was far enough away from the library did Jevil stop and finally breathe. He had never been so scared in his entire life. So that was what Seam had always warned him of. The king really did have one hell of a temper. And Jevil thought his temper was bad. It was nothing compared to the king. Jevil never wanted to see it again, for in that moment, he really thought the king was going to kill him right on the spot. Jevil thanked his lucky stars that he was still alive and started for the castle doors. So, he was going to have to somehow work with the silent harlequin. The thought made him upset, but he swallowed the feeling down. Memories of all the forced partnerships he had to deal with in college flooded his mind. If he could do it then, then he supposed he could do it now. Granted, his partners in college were never silent or harlequins, but he supposed it could still be done . . .somehow.

After a few turns, Jevil found himself at the front doors of the castle. Grateful to be out of the castle, Jevil opened the doors. Standing outside, staring at the darkened star speckled sky was the silent harlequin. Just the person he wanted to see. Well, not really but he couldn’t ignore the fact that they needed to talk. If not to get to know each other than at the very least to plan a routine. Jevil walked to her and stood at her side. She didn’t notice him as she stared intently at the night sky. If he looked close enough, Jevil could see the chocolate coloured skin of her chin. Just what had her so transfixed on the sky? What was she thinking? Jevil kind of wanted answers to the questions he had, but at the same time knew that it was probably none of his business. What was his business was knowing what was wrong with her and why she wouldn’t talk. If he could get that from her, then he could plan things accordingly and potentially work with her. He just hoped that she was choosing to be silent as some sort of protest or something and that she could actually talk. That would make things so much easier. He cleared his throat to get her attention. The sound made her jump a little and she turned to look at him, her grey eyes staring so hard and reminding him of how the king stared.

“So . . . what is wrong with you exactly? Why won’t you talk?”

The harlequin pointed to her throat and then shook her head.

“So what, you are like mute or something?” Jevil asked, afraid of the answer.

She nodded her head.

Great, she really was a mute. That wasn’t at all what he wanted her to say. He has never met a mute before. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? Jevil sighed and scratched at his head in confusion. Dealing with her was not going to be easy. He didn’t know how to talk to her or how to understand her. There was only so much she could do with nodding her head. What if she needed to say something more? What were they going to do? He didn’t want to do this. But what other choice did he have? Death wasn’t the most pleasant of options. He sighed again, this time in defeat. There was no getting around it, he was just going to have to work with her somehow. His thoughts abruptly came to a halt when he felt a soft pat on his shoulder. He looked up to see the harlequin’s hands flailing slowly, the motions looking deliberate in their slowness. Whatever she was trying to say was lost on him and Jevil couldn’t help but think that she was wasting her time trying to talk to him.

“I have no clue what you are doing, but here.” Jevil reached inside his pocket and handed her a small paper. “On that is my address. Come over tomorrow and we can come up with a routine or something.”

She flailed some more, her eyes looking desperate to convey whatever it was she was trying to say.

“Yeah.” Jevil replied flatly as he turned to leave for the dimensional door of the forest.

So much for conning the king out of gold pieces. Instead, he was saddled with something he would have never signed up for. But what was the worst that could happen? He was feeling positive of this arrangement. Not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed it even though it is just basically the chapter where Jevil complains a lot lol XD
> 
> I won't be posting a new chapter until **May 18th** as I will be on vacation and won't have internet. I will still be writing, so I will be well ahead of you guys and ready to post again when I get back.
> 
> As always, if you want to be ahead, chapter 3 is already posted over on my blog. Please feel free to visit, though do be kind to it as it is still in its infancy and there isn't much there yet. Also, it would do me a solid if you would allow the ads on the blog to run should you happen to visit. They are not intrusive and will not make your computer run slow, I promise. This just keeps me from having to ask you guys for donations, which I don't wanna do :D
> 
>  **Here is the link to the blog**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com


	3. Praxis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two clowns reluctantly work together to come up with a routine that they can do for the King. 

Seam’s shop slowly came into view with every step the jester took. But Jevil couldn’t be happy to see the sight. And it wasn’t because of Seam, he was an innocent in all of this drama. It had everything to do with the new gig that was thrust upon him by that whacky king. He had one day to come up with a good routine with a mute girl who was more than likely inexperienced in performing. How he was supposed to do such a task, he had no clue and the king didn’t give any suggestions either. He was left to figure it out on his own. And asking that girl what they should do was out of the question because she was mute, which he had to remind himself of every few seconds because he was so desperate for some kind of guidance. But what was she going to be able to contribute? Flailing hands? That wouldn’t be helpful, so she wasn’t any good. It was all up to him and he couldn’t handle the pressure of it. Just thinking about the situation he was forced into had him getting upset.  How was he supposed to do this? Why was he the target of the king’s wackiness? Frustration was building, not only at the king and the silent harlequin, but for himself. He couldn’t handle this pressure and he hated it. Memories of group projects during school flooded his memory. He hated those and thought that as an adult, he would be free of them. Damn it. The urge to scream his lungs out was strong. It took everything in his power to force the feeling back down where it came from. He needed to talk to someone and vent his thoughts out, less he do something he would regret later. There was only one person he could trust with his late-night volatile feelings. One person who would sit and listen, as well as offer solid advice. It was the advice part that Jevil needed more than anything.

It was late but Jevil practically ran to Seam’s, the crunch of the ground under his feet loud to his ears. Seam was going to be Jevil’s godsend and voice of reason. But then, when was he not? The old man had always been a wellspring of wisdom for Jevil. Since he had lived through hell and survived, Seam was well-versed in advising Jevil through his own personal hell. He was sure of it. Granted, Seam would absolutely be asleep this late into the night, he was old after all. But Jevil needed help, and he needed help now. There was a chance that Seam would fuss at him for the interruption of his rest, but that was a chance Jevil was willing to take. Jevil ran to the old darkner’s raggedy shop. The dilapidated and weathered brown siding of the building was an eyesore against the beauty of red leaved star-fruit trees. Everything about the shop was off, from its out of the way location to the dilapidated way it looked. But Jevil couldn’t help but admit that the shop fit Seam. And when he put the shop and Seam together, everything screamed charm as well as safe-haven. It wasn’t long before Jevil found himself at the doors to the shop. Without skipping a beat, Jevil banged loudly on the doors. He banged on the doors for what felt like hours. Where was Seam? The sound was loud enough to wake the whole Dark World. There was no way Seam was sleeping though it. Then, a light turned on and Jevil could hear Seam stumble to the door. The old cat darkner peaked out the little window. Jevil could see a flash of a scowl on the old cat’s face that went away as soon as Seam saw who was on the other side.

“You’re back early.” Seam said as he opened the door with a yawn. “How did everything go?”

“Horrible!” Jevil barked.

The second Seam opened the door wide enough, Jevil stepped into the shop. Everything was the same as when he had left. The bottles he had messed with earlier were still not in their correct placement. That could only mean that Seam didn’t have any customers come in. It wasn’t unusual. Seam’s shop was a bit on the quirky side, so not many people came in. But it did have Jevil wondering for a bit just how Seam managed to live with no one coming to buy from him. It was a question best asked for another day Jevil ultimately decided as he turned to face his friend. Seam looked tired as he stood in his colourful polka-dot pyjamas, waiting patiently for Jevil to tell his story. This was what Jevil loved about his friend. Even though it was the middle of the night, Seam was ready to listen to Jevil whine and complain about something that most would see as something trivial.  Truly, Seam was a gem of a darkner.

“That king is messed in the head!” Jevil started. “He gave me one day to plan a routine with some girl who can’t talk! Can you believe that?”

“Hm, that sounds like something the king would do.” Seam hummed as he crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eye.

“And here all I wanted to do was con the king out of more gold pieces.”

“You what?” Seam’s good eye shot open. “Jevil . . .”

“There’s no time for scolding.” Jevil interrupted the admonishment that was about to happen. “Seam, what do I do?”

Seam closed his eye again. Silence encompassed the entire shop, save for the soft chirps of forest crickets. The sound of those crickets made Jevil antsy. Coupled with having to wait, Jevil felt like he was about to jump out of his skin. But despite his agitation, Jevil let the old darkner ponder without interruption. But he needed to do something while the old darkner stood in silence. Jevil looked around the shop for anything to preoccupy his mind, but there was nothing to do. In the end, Jevil opted to pace about the store, making sure not to get too close to Seam just in case doing so broke his concentration. With the repetitive movements of walking back and forth about the shop, Jevil found it easier to think than ever before. A part of Jevil was upset that he hadn’t thought about pacing before. It was perfect and allowing ideas to flow forth like a torrential waterfall. Maybe he could fake his own death. Or at the very least, stay hidden until the king no longer wanted him. It was brilliant and had a high chance of succeeding, so long as he pulled it off well. Jevil was just about to announce the idea when he heard a soft snoring sound. _No, he couldn’t be,_ Jevil thought. Suspicious, Jevil went over to Seam and was surprised to see that the old darkner had fallen asleep. Standing up no less!

“Seam! Wake up!”

“Wha!” The old cat startled awake, his one good eye going wide in surprise.

“You’re supposed to be helping me.” Jevil reminded his friend. “While you were snoozing, I came up with a plan. I’m going to fake my own death!”

“Oh.” Seam whipped his mouth of drool before realizing what was said and giving Jevil a incredulous look. “Wait a second, did you try talking to the girl you are partnered with?”

“She can’t talk, Seam.” Jevil, irritated at having to repeat himself, reminded his friend again. “I told you that.”

“That doesn’t mean that she has nothing to say.” Sounding much too wise, Seam gave his patented all-knowing smile.

“And how am I supposed to ‘talk’ to her?” Jevil asked, irritation making his words sound harsh.

Seam turned away and walked slowly to the counter. Jevil watched in curiosity as Seam bent behind the counter and rummaged around for something. It felt like hours that Seam was down there. Jevil wanted to know what his great plan to help him talk to the silent girl was so badly. When Seam finally found whatever it was he was looking for, he let out a soft sound of triumph before getting back up. In his hands was a faded pad of paper and a black ink pen. How that was going to help in talking to the silent girl? What, was he supposed to write a letter to her? And he thought Seam was going to be a godsend with his wise ideas. How wrong he was. Seam limped over to him and held the pen and paper out. Jevil took it and looked at his friend in confusion.

“Here. Let her write out what she needs to say.”

“I don’t know about this. . .” Jevil hesitated.

“And maybe perhaps learn how she talks. It might come in handy.” Seam said as he leaned against the counter, an all-knowing look in his eyes. It was like he had dealt with this kind of situation before. “Those are my suggestions to you.”

Jevil sighed. This was not what he had hoped Seam would say. If anything, he had hoped that Seam would help in finding him a way to not have to work with the girl. Instead, he found a way to make working with her easier. It was such a simple plan that even Jevil could have come up with it, if working with her was what he wanted to do, which it wasn’t. The urge to sigh again was strong. Jevil had really hoped that he could have relied on Seam to help him out of this situation. Maybe come through in faking his death or something. But Seam was wise. . . too wise. This pen and paper idea was of course going to work, so long as the girl knew how to write.

“It won’t be that bad.” Seam’s voice was calm and reassuring. “Give it a try. Who knows, you might find a friend in her.”

“As if.” Jevil scoffed. “But thanks anyway.”

“Glad I could help.” Seam smiled.

The dismissal was clear as day and Jevil didn’t need to be told twice. Jevil left the shop without another word, the crisp night air freezing in his lungs. He didn’t have the heart to tell his old friend that his help wasn’t actually helpful but more that of a death sentence. The last thing he wanted to do was actually talk to her, let alone befriend the girl. He already had too many friends. Granted that friend was just Seam, but still, one more would be too much. He was never the kind of darkner who wanted or even had a menagerie of friends. It felt to impersonal to have too many friends. Jevil liked the close-nit feeling of just having one friend who he could tell everything to. He didn’t want to lose that by adding another. That settled it then. He was certain that he did not want to be friends with her and therefore was not going to pursue it. If he just had to work with her, then fine. That would be the extent of their relationship. Nothing more. He would make sure of it.

Jevil was so lost in thought that it took him a moment to realize that he was already in town. The sudden realization had him do a double take of his surroundings. One moment he was walking through the open and lush green fields, the next he was encased in dark brick and cobblestone of buildings. It was jarring. The compact and closeness of the buildings had him feeling claustrophobic as he walked through the darkened alley. At least there were no wandering darkners this late at night, that would have made walking the tiny streets unbearable. Instead, Jevil was able to walk in peace though the silent streets. He navigated the dark alleys like a professional, turning when he needed without breaking his pace and avoiding empty beer cans without causing any noise. The dark labyrinth, the length of a marathon, soon came to an end as Jevil found himself at his apartment building. The brown brick building was as old as Seam, and it looked like it too. Pieces of it were chipped while some brick pieces were missing entirely. Dark green ivy grew on the sides of the building and looked like it was doing its best to strangle the life out of the brick siding. Old dark wood steps climbed all fifteen floors without a break, no elevator for this crumbling place. Good thing magic existed.

 With a flick of his hand, Jevil teleported to the eighth floor and opened the door to his apartment. Rank smells of week-old food containers instantly slapped him in the face. Jevil stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Carefully, he made a beeline to his sofa, stepping over leftover trash and piles of dirty clothes that lay in his way. He plopped his tired body onto the cream coloured sofa and sunk into its plush embrace. Jevil was about to turn on the TV when something in him had him looking around his apartment. Something wasn’t quite right. It was like a tornado made of trash had run amuck in his apartment, leaving stains and muck everywhere. Empty food containers and dirty dishes where in places other than the kitchen, and there were more piles of dirty clothes than clean. Looking at the place, Jevil felt a bit ashamed. He really let his place go. No longer having to obey overbearing rules had him choosing not to do any housework out of spite and now his place was fit for no one. Not even himself. And he had the audacity to invite a girl over to this pig sty.

. . . . He had invited a girl over!

That sudden realization had him shooting up from the sofa and grabbing the nearest trash bag he could get his hands on. Jevil buzzed about the room in a heightened state of adrenaline, picking up every piece of trash and in some cases, putting dirty dishes in the sink. He couldn’t believe that he had invited a girl over with his place looking like this. What was he thinking? He stuffed the latest piece of trash, a mouldy piece of bread, in the bag and tied it taught. One bag down, only a billion more to go and his house would be clean. On instinct, he went and grabbed another bag and went to work on the other half of the living room. When his hand hit something wet, he uttered a curse and wished that he had never invited the silent girl over. Clearly, he wasn’t thinking straight when he did that and now look where that landed him. Jevil tied the second bag and sat it next to the first before looking at his handywork. He could tell that he had made a dent, but the room was far from being clean for guests. He still had dirty dishes laying all over the place and dirty clothes strewn in places that they shouldn’t be. Jevil sighed loudly at the sight.

It was going to be a long night.

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

_Beep beep_

The shrill sound of your alarm going off startled you awake. With your mind still groggy from sleep, you slapped at your clock a couple of times before finally getting it to hush. The urge to go back to sleep was strong. You had spent a good chunk of your night trying to get home from the castle. Navigating the scarlet forest at night was just as hard as you had thought it would be. And just as scary. There were many times during your walk that you thought you would never make it out of the forest. The correct twists and turns that you needed to take were nearly impossible to see in the dark. When you finally got through and made it to the Great Board, it was already just past midnight. And the Ponmen didn’t help matters none. They were determined to not let you pass due to it being so late. Even now as you thought about it, you were not sure how you persuaded them to let you pass through. You didn’t make it to town until a little past two in the morning. And when you finally made it home, it was already two thirty. You were so tired from everything that you went straight for bed, all in hopes of getting at least of little be of rest before getting up at eight and getting ready to go to Jevil’s place for practice.

You practically jumped out of bed at the thought. You had almost forgotten all about that engagement. Immediately you went to your en-suit bathroom, the cream coloured walls of your bedroom moving by in a blur. Once inside the pale blue bathroom, you turned the shower on and hopped in. The warm water felt so nice on your tired body that you wished you could stay in its embrace for forever. But you couldn’t and despite you being the type of darkner who took super long showers, you found yourself in and out within minutes. You looked at yourself in the mirror. How you managed to look frazzled after a relaxing shower, you didn’t know. But you ignored it and continued with your routine, grabbing your toothbrush and preparing to brush your teeth. Once finished, you stepped out of the steamy warmth of the bathroom and into the slightly chilled air on your bedroom. You went to your dresser and pulled out your usual attire and as you got dressed, you made sure to put your dirty clothes in the hamper so to keep your room spotless. Without thinking, you grabbed you hair brush and methodically brushed your long dark hair straight. Once satisfied, you left your room and went out to the kitchen.

Polished oak cabinets with granite tops graced you as you entered the kitchen. The little area was spotless, and everything was clearly labelled. Spices, snacks, everything was well organized and were it was supposed to be. You learned the organizing trick from your mother and because it kind of reminded you of home, you kept doing it. You looked around the tiny room, silently appreciating the neatness of it all, all the while thinking of what you could eat for breakfast. At a loss for what you could eat that would be fast, you ended up settling for a granola. You grabbed the small snack and made a beeline for the front door, passing your book strewn living room. Before leaving the apartment, you grabbed the black mask you always wore and put it on before leaving. Once out the door, you locked it and trotted down the steps of your apartment complex, the granola bar hanging precariously in your mouth and reminding you of the silly cartoons you sometimes watched in the morning. You tried not to smile at the silliness and instead stayed focus on your goal.

You pulled the small paper Jevil gave to you out of your pocket and looked at it, all the while munching on your breakfast. Jevil lived in the downtown area of Castle Town. You’ve been there but never more than just to pass through. It would be your first time actually walking about the downtown streets. You were a bit worried, but nothing compared to the feelings you had about actually going to Jevil’s place. With how he acted yesterday, you were sure that he hated your guts and for reason unknown. Yet, he was the one who asked you to come over. Maybe he had a change of heart? You weren’t sure. And it was these unsure feelings that had you feeling a bit anxious. He had made it pretty clear to you that he hated you and didn’t want to work with you. And you hoped that you were able to convey just how you were the complete opposite. Maybe you had and that was why he had changed his mind? You really hoped so, though you couldn’t shake the feeling that his strong hatred for you was going to complicate things.

You made a right turn and the quiet street you were on slowly morphed into a busy one. Darkners from all walks of life were congregated on the street, making it difficult to navigate your way. You slipped into the civilian traffic, careful not to bump into anyone as you slipped your granola wrapper into your pocket and made your way downtown. The soft glow of neon lights indicating the downtown area, were your guide. You chased after your neon beacon as each step you took gave to more worry that you tried to combat with positivity. The memory of Jevil’s hateful glare refused to leave your mind even as you tried to replace it with other more positive memories. You only had a day to figure something out with him, to get him to see that you were not his enemy. It was a daunting task. One you didn’t really want. But you were used to working with others. You had done so back in college. Everyone loved working with you due to your fluid nature and eagerness to please the crowd. Most people said it was easy to work with you, even though you were mute. So, you figured that once Jevil saw how it would be with you, he would open up to you too. It wasn’t going to be easy. You could tell that Jevil had very little patience, which was not the best because being mute required it. But you felt that a compromise could be met.

You could tell you were in the downtown area due to the sudden change of atmosphere. The air smelled of greasy fast food and the buildings were much taller and even more close together than they were in the main part of town. Their darkened windows were decorated with flashing neon lights indicating sales of various items. You felt dwarfed in comparison to the buildings. They reached to the sky and blocked most of it. Even the ground was not safe from the change. The clean cobblestone of the main town was broken and messy looking downtown. You felt out of place walking these messy streets and that the people who called downtown their home, were looking at you weirdly. You pushed past the awkward feeling and continued walking. Coming to a crossroads, you pulled out the little paper from your pocket. It took a moment to descramble Jevil’s messy handwriting before you found your way and took a left turn and found yourself in a small alley. You looked at the paper again just to make sure you hadn’t done something wrong, only to find that you were indeed going the right way. Reluctant, you kept walking, only taking turns when it was designated on the paper.

It felt like hours had passed in these cramped alleys. The scenery never changed, just the same dirty brick backsides of buildings and cobblestone paths. You weren’t sure you would ever make it out. It was when you were about to give up that the path broke into an open area. You wanted to weep with joy at the sight. You looked at the paper and realized that the old building you were standing next to was Jevil’s apartment. You also noticed that his apartment complex was seated on a main road, so there was no reason to navigate the alley like that. You sighed in slight irritation but refused to let the emotion take control of you. With one last look at the paper, you realized that you needed to climb to the eighth floor. You looked up and sighed again before starting your long climb. Your lungs were on fire by the time you reached your destination. So much so that you took a small break to collect yourself before you knocked on Jevil’s door. A long moment passed, the time making you wonder if he was home. It was as you were about to knock again that the door opened and a tired looking Jevil poked his head out.

“He . . .”

You gave him a friendly wave, all the while hoping you didn’t come off as too overbearing.

He frowned. “Come in.”

Jevil moved aside, allowing you to step into his space. You tried to ignore the feeling of being unwelcome as you hesitantly walked in. Once inside, you were surprised to see that his apartment was so clean, the air smelling strong of lemon cleaning product. The cream coloured carpet had not a single spot on them and were so plush. It was like walking on clouds. The living room with its pale green walls, was spotless. His giant entertainment centre complete with a fancy TV, though filled to the brim with various movies and other DVD’s, was painstakingly organized. And from what you could tell, alphabetically. You walked around the space mesmerised by the organization. Jevil didn’t seem the type to be so cleanly. At least that was not the impression he gave you when you first met. But yet, standing in his apartment, you couldn’t help but feel that your apartment was messy compared to his. Event his linoleum kitchen wasn’t safe from the cleanliness. There was nothing on the dark granite counters. It made you wonder if he ever ate in there or cooked since it was so bare.

“Let’s get started.” Jevil spoke suddenly, knocking you out of your mesmerised stupor. “Have you performed before?”

You turned to face him and saw him walk into the kitchen and sit at the table. Not wanting to be the only one standing, you followed his example and walked into the spotless kitchen. Creamy white walls had the space feeling brighter than it actually was. It gave the room a minimalist vibe, especially with how barren it was. Even the silver refrigerator doors were blank of photos or little memos. It wasn’t what you expected of Jevil. He seemed like the type that would hang out every night with friends and have pictures of the moments he spent with them. If anything, you thought that maybe he would have snacks to go with the fancy entertainment centre he had in the living room. But there was nothing that showcased the lifestyle you thought he had. It was different but you didn’t mind the difference. Once seated at the table across from Jevil, you answered his odd question with a simple nod of you head.

“Oh right. . . I forgot.” He frowned. “Look, I lost the paper pad I had for you while cleaning . . .”

You didn’t hear anything else he was saying as you were so shocked to learn that he had tried to accommodate for you. It was so sweet and definitely not something you expected from him. Not after his little show of hostility towards you. And yeah, it ultimately didn’t work out since he lost the pad, but it was the thought that count. That alone had you feeling more confident about this forced arrangement. He was making little strides to work with you. Overcome with feelings of gratitude, you felt the need to thank him for his kindness. You knew there was a chance that he wouldn’t be able to understand you, but you didn’t care. You patted him on the hand, causing him to go silent and look at you. His golden eyes stared at you intently, watching your every move. You wasted no time and slowly signed him a thank you. The blank look in his eyes confirmed everything you needed to know.

“Yeah . . . anyway. . .” Jevil took a deep breath before continuing. “I guess I should tell you my style. I’m a joker, I tell jokes and pull pranks. Though, I guess I can do other things but those are my mains. Is that something you can work with?”

You nodded your head but deep down you were lying. It had nothing to do with him or his desired style of clowning. It had everything to do with the fact that your style of clowning and his clashed. Hard.

Jevil sighed before speaking. Everything about his posture screamed apprehensive, like he knew what you were thinking and was worried about your answer to the question he had. “What do you do?”

You thought for a moment on how you were going to respond. Not sure if what you were trying to convey would come through, you used your hands and imitated a person balancing on a wire with your fingers. He seemed to understand you and with a defeated sigh, he leaned back into his chair and placed his hand on his head. You understood his feelings perfectly. An acrobatic centred Harlequin and a prankster Joker were the farthest from each other on the spectrum of clowning. A Harlequin was all about acting and acrobatics while a Joker was anything but. It was because of this difference that they never worked together unless there were others to help with the performance. But it was just the two of you. How exactly was this going to work? What kind of compromise could be made to make the best routine for the both of you? You had nothing. But you put it aside for now and focused on Jevil, waiting for him to continue the conversation.

“Yeah, that look in your eyes are my feelings exactly.”

You looked at him in shock, surprised that you had let your feelings of worry show. That wasn’t at all what you had wanted. Even more, you didn’t want him to think that you were giving up on this difficult challenge set by the king. Not wanting him to get the wrong impression, you held your hands up in defence.

“No need to hide it. Our styles clash too much. Yet that stupid king insists that we work together.” He stopped leaning in his chair and instead placed his elbows on the table. “So, what do we do?”

You could feel the pressure of coming up with a plan being placed on you and you didn’t quite appreciate it. Not wanting all of the burden, you turned the conversation back to him by pointing at him and mouthing ‘you?’.

“I don’t have any more plans.” He said flatly. “My plans failed.”

Curiosity was burning through you. You had to know what he was thinking or had thought. You looked at him questioningly, the words you couldn’t say being well received as Jevil smiled.

“You wanna know my failed plans?”

You nodded.

“Well, they all included in some way, me not having to work with you.” He laughed.

You glared at him, not finding anything he just said funny.

He stopped laughing and cleared his throat, making things awkward. “I was joking.”

You knew he was lying. He hated you. So much so, that he would go out of his way to not work with you. You couldn’t help but feel offended. Had you made that much of a bad impression on him? Or was it because you were mute, and he didn’t know how to deal with that? You honestly didn’t know and didn’t want to know. Frustration was making your blood boil and the last thing you wanted was to say or do something to make the situation worse than what it already was. Instead, you focused on finding a compromise that would work for the both of you. You wanted was to just get this assignment over with and hopefully never work with Jevil ever again.

Silence fell upon the two of you as you thought hard on what could be done. You couldn’t be sure that Jevil was even thinking of a plan, and you couldn’t care at this point. If everything fell on you, then so be it. You were used to having to carry the weight of a project all on your own. Not everyone you worked with in college pulled their weight. And you could tell Jevil was one of those kinds of darkners. You pulled your legs up so you could sit on them and pondered what could be done. Jevil told jokes, so you supposed you could use magic to help with his punchline. Maybe throw a pie in his face for comedic effect. You tried not to smirk at the thought. You would like doing that just a bit too much, so it was out. There was also the option of doing separate routines. He could tell his jokes and whatnot and after, you could be acrobatic and then maybe the two of you could join together for a little something. With the first idea, your magic wasn’t the strongest in the Dark World, nor where you powerful or good at using magic. It was best for small effects and for speaking in Hands, nothing too flashy like some clowns were able to pull off. You hoped that would be enough. As for the second idea, there was a chance the king might not like it as he specifically wanted the two of you to work together.

You needed a second opinion. But the question was how to convey everything you needed to say. Jevil couldn’t hear you when you spoke in Hands, nor could he understand just the basic of movements. You didn’t have a pad of paper and mouthing what you wanted to say was going to get confusing really quick. What could you do? The sudden sound of Jevil’s chair scraping loudly against the linoleum floor knocked you out of your head. Frustrated at being interrupted, you watched as Jevil got up and went to get himself a glass of water. When he finally turned and saw you starting, he cocked his head to the side.

“Got anything.”

You nodded your head, pointed to your ears.

“Ears?” He asked, confusion making him look at you in a weird way. “What does that have to do with anything?”

You facepalmed before getting up from your chair and going over to him. With a bit more force that what you wanted, you took the glass of water out of his hands and placed it on the counter. You then took his hand and spelled out the word ‘listen’ on his skin.

“Listen?” Irritated golden eyes stared at you. “To what?”

You pointed to yourself before allowing your magic forth. A pale light blue magic coated your hands and you slowly began to speak in Hands, the magic amplifying your ‘voice’. You needed him to hear you. And though signing in Hands worked better when both the signer’s and the listener’s magic were tied together and making a link, you didn’t want to force such a thing on Jevil. It could still be done without the link; you could still be understood but it was just weaker and harder to hear. But you were desperate for him to understand and didn’t have the time to link magic with him. Nor did you want to. That left only the one option. You focused all of your magic and amplified the sound of your ‘voice’ so loud that you were practically screaming the words you were signing. It hurt to do, but with deliberate slowness, you signed out your ideas to him. When you were done, your magic dispersed with a bit of flash and you were left breathless. You looked to him only to be met with golden eyes staring blankly at you. Your concern that he didn’t hear you confirmed with one stare.

“I’m not sure what that was but let’s not do that again.” Jevil picked up his glass of water and pushed you aside. “Now about your plan . . .”

You wanted to scream. How could he not have heard you? You were screaming right in his face. Unless he was purposefully not listening, it should have worked. You wanted to try again. You needed to try again. Every inch of you was screaming to try it again. But you couldn’t. You were too tired. Screaming like that took up a lot of energy and it hurt to do. You could only afford to do it once and only on certain occasions. Which was more like never because you preferred to just avoid having to speak like that entirely. This was a special occasion. But it failed and now Jevil had no clue what you were trying to say, nor would he listen to you like that ever again. You were at a loss as what to do. Frustrated, you mentally cursed. Why hadn’t you thought about bringing a notepad to write on? Why did fate have Jevil lose the notepad he had? What kind of curse was this?

“Did you hear me?” Jevil said suddenly. “Oh god, I already have to put up with you not talking, please don’t say you’re deaf too.”

You shot him a dirty look as your earlier suspicions were confirmed with his heartless words. He was treating you this way because you were mute. Frustration was slowly started to morph into anger. You had never experienced such treatment. Most darkners were kind and understanding of your limitations. Though, you didn’t like to see your muteness as a limitation. But more so, most darkners were always seeing of your strengths. Not Jevil though. He was basing all of his judgments of you on the fact that you couldn’t talk. As if that made you different from him somehow.  You were furious at him and wanted nothing more than to show him just how wrong he was. But you knew that doing so would sink you down to his level. You needed to be better. So, you focused on your breathing and calming down. Once you were more level headed, you looked at your discriminative partner.

“I said don’t worry about it. We can just improvise tomorrow.” He set his glass, now empty, on the table.

You gave him a questioning look, unable to believe what you were hearing.

“Yeah, I figured we might as well just do whatever.” He said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. “I mean, improv should be something that we both can do.”

He wasn’t wrong. But you didn’t like how this new plan of his was so . . . ill prepared. You just wished you could convey your concerns to him. Because you had a lot of them.

“Anyway, I have other things I got to do besides sit and ponder with you.” Jevil said with a yawn. “So, let’s just improvise and whatever happens, happens.”

You didn’t like that. You didn’t like that at all. This plan of his was doomed to fail. But there was nothing you could to deter him. He couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to you. And you couldn’t explain your plans as it required more than what you were able to do without a way to talk. You looked at Jevil, desperate to get him to understand you. But it didn’t happen. He was more interested in getting you to leave so he could do whatever it was that he needed to do. Unable to prolong it anymore, you nodded a simple goodbye and went to the door. Like a gentleman, Jevil opened the door for you and you stepped out. The second you were out of his apartment; he slammed the door shut, leaving you standing outside stewing in your emotions.

Coming to his place was a disaster. You had expected that the two of you would come up with a routine and then practice so that way you wouldn’t make fools of yourselves. But what did you really expect out of a Joker? They were trained to make fools of themselves. It just was irritating that he was forcing you to make a fool of yourself too. You needed a routine that was set in stone, one that was well practiced. Not improvising. It mattered not that you could do improvising. You could, but you hated it, and for this very reason. There were so many variables that could go wrong with improv. Your biggest concern being that the rhythm would be thrown off. Yours and Jevil’s clowning styles clashed, so the rhythm was already off to begin with. If the improv started to fail, the first thing to go was the already crumbling rhythm. Without the proper rhythm, the show was doomed.

You were worried beyond belief. But there was nothing you could do about it now. Jevil had made his decision for the both of you. An improv routine. He said nothing on whether you should bring anything, like music or items to juggle. Maybe he would bring his own? And if he did, and you didn’t, where would that leave you? Well, if he could make big decisions for the both of you without consulting you, then you could do the same. You decided to bring your own items as well as a few extra, just in case. Unlike your partner, you wanted to be prepared. After all, you were performing for the king. This was a big deal, even if Jevil didn’t seem to think so. But it didn’t matter what Jevil thought. You were going to treat this as something important, because it was. This was your big break, one that you had been wishing for since you were a small child. Everything hinged on this performance, and you were not going to let Jevil ruin it for you.

 You started down the steps of the apartment complex; your mind made up on what you were going to do. Now, all you were left with was actually making it a reality by practicing on your own and hoping that everything went well tomorrow. God, you hoped everything went well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 3. I hope you ejoyed even though not much happens in this chapter. This chapter is basically just a peek into their lives and homes. The next chapter will be released next Saturday.
> 
> As Always, if you want to read the next chapter early, it is on my blog. Please feel free to visit, though do be kind to it as it is still in its infancy and there isn't much there yet. Also, it would do me a solid if you would allow the ads on the blog to run should you happen to visit. They are not intrusive and will not make your computer run slow, I promise. This just keeps me from having to ask you guys for donations, which I don't wanna do :D
> 
>  **Here is the link to the blog**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com


	4. Malefaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two clowns perform for the king and it doesn't go well.

You woke up, bright eyed and anxious. Your mind reeling as it replayed the horrible dream you had of your upcoming improv performance with Jevil. Everything had gone horribly wrong in your dream and the king was furious. You could still remember every feeling that you had. From embarrassment from such a pitiful performance to anger at Jevil for messing you up and insisting on an improv routine to fear from having to face the King's wrath. It was all so vivid and alarming. Your body was still jittery from the experience. To calm down, you laid in bed and focused on your breathing for what felt like hours until paranoia started to creep in. What time was it? Curious, you looked over to your alarm clock. It read seven o’clock, a whole hour before you actually had to get up and a whole three hours before you needed to be at the castle. You sighed in relief, the paranoia releasing its hold. You were not looking forward to today if it was going to be filled with worry, panic and paranoia.

With a tired sigh and officially unable to go back to sleep, you got up and slipped your feet into your slippers. The plush fuzziness of the shoes was comforting as you stood up and went to the bathroom. Once inside the pale blue room, you went straight to the shower and turned it on. Checking the water occasionally to make sure it was just right, you pealed out of your pyjamas and stepped in its warm embrace. Hot water pelted your tired body and you loved every second of it. You took a deep breath, inhaling in the steam, letting it fill your lungs and clear your worry-ridden mind. Today was the big day. The day where you proved to The Spade King, that you were worthy to perform in his court. There was no doubt in your mind that Jevil was going to try to ruin this moment for you. After all, he was already performing for the king. He had your dream already and clearly didn't want to share the spotlight. However, you refused to let him ruin this moment for you. Even if you had to push him out of the way, you were going to shine bright for the king and perform for him. Nothing was going to stop you.

It took you a while to finish up with your shower and step out of its warmth. You shivered when you did as you made your way to the sink to finish up with your morning routine. With your teeth brushed and your face washed, you left the warm steam filled bathroom and stepped into your slightly chilled bedroom. The clothes you had wanted to wear for this special occasion were already out, ready to be put on. A beautiful black and gold attire adorned with black stars on the torso and black stripes and lacy frills on the arms and legs. It was elegant yet cute, perfect for today. You slipped the clothes on and looked at yourself in the mirror. Icy grey eyes stared back at you as you mentally prepared yourself for your upcoming performance. You went through every positive mantra you had in your arsenal. “ _I can do this_ ’ you thought to yourself, ‘ _there is nothing I can’t do’_. Repeating the simple words over and over, you left your bedroom and made your way to the kitchen. You flipped on the light and started making a mess as you pulled out everything you needed to make breakfast. Before you knew it, your entire kitchen was covered in eggs, milk and flour as you poured everything into a bowl and started stirring. It had been a long time since you last had your famous stress-relief pancakes. The last time being when you were taking finals in college and were stressed beyond belief. Some things never change.

 After a bit of fussing, you had fluffy, golden brown pancakes. You brought them to the table and sat down. Their maple goodness and aroma had your mouth watering with anticipation. You took the first bite and it was like all your problems melted away. It was heaven. Each bite was a slice of bliss, allowing you to escape from your problems and into a world of maple goodness. You enjoyed every second of it, right down to the last bite. The spell had broken, and you were back in your reality, messing kitchen and all. You dumped your dirty dishes into the sink and made a note on your To-Do list to clean up after your engagement. A quick glance at the stove clock had you scrambling to put your mask on and pick up your notepad. With one last check to make sure you had everything, you left your little abode and ran down the steps of the apartment building to your personal trolley filled with all of your performance toys. There were balls to juggle, a radio for music and your favourite colourful walking globe, all neatly tucked inside. It felt like you were carrying your whole ensemble with you to the castle, but even still, you felt that you should have more. This was such a huge event and you felt a little under prepared. Okay, a little was an understatement. You felt utterly ill-prepared for whatever it was you were going to have to do. This was why you hated improv. But you put the thought aside and started on your way.

 Almost instantly, you were walking the busy streets, the crowd thick full of bustling Darkners. Even though it was so early, it was like the crowd never slept. You merged into the crowd with ease and made your way to the edge of town, towards the exit to the fields. Every now and then, you would be stopped by someone who wanted to say hi or ask how you were. It was pleasant and helped to take your mind off of your upcoming performance. The walk to the check point felt shorter than usual as you found yourself waving to the guards and walking through. Once through the stone gate, the fields opened up for you, revealing its bounty. The green grass and red foliage of the star trees swayed in the gentle breeze. The sight reminding you of a dance. You continued on the worn path, with each step, you took a deep breath. In the distance, you could see Card Castle. The sight of its looming dark presence was a reminder of the improv performance you were going to have to go through. How you were most likely going to make a fool of yourself, due to a fool making decisions for you. You wanted to curse. However, you knew that you couldn’t be too upset. This predicament was just as much your fault as it was Jevil’s. And now, you were going to have to deal with the consequences. You just hoped that it wouldn’t be too bad of consequences. Improv wasn’t hard necessarily, but it was more difficult for you due to being mute.

The path split. On the left was the hang out of the Jigsawry and on the right was Seam’s shop. Since you had to pass by it anyway and you hadn’t seen him since you were called to the castle the first time, you figured you’d stop by Seam’s to let him know what was happening. It felt like you were back in school the moment you stepped in front of Seam’s dilapidated store. Memories flooded your mind as you looked around. Everything was pretty much the same as it had always been. Bottles of various mysterious colourful liquids and strange knickknacks lined the wooden shelves. Sitting in front were a bag of your favourite star fruit candies. You looked at the price and were confused. They had gone up. That was unusual. You looked around and noticed that the pricing for everything was not how it usually was. Bottles that were usually two gold pieces were now five, and those that were five were now two. It was all a mess. You wondered what had happened when you heard the back door open. You looked up and saw your dear old friend coming from the back room, a smile plastered on his face.

“Ah, it’s been some time my dear.” Seam said as he hobbled out from the back. “How did everything go?”

You went over to the counter he sat behind and pulled out your notebook and began to write.

 _Not so well. I have an impromptu performance for the king today._ You showed the note to Seam.

“I see, so that is what you got wrangled into. Congratulations.” Seam smiled big at you.

You took back the notepad and began to scribble again. _Not congratulations. I have to work with the most arrogant and pompous joker in the world_.

“Oh.” Seam frowned. “Well, you know what they say. . .”

_Yeah, the show much go on._

“No matter what.” Seam smiled at you, the gesture holding an all-knowing wisdom. “Worry not, my dear, I’m sure you’ll see that working with your partner will be a fun experience.”

You sighed. There was no arguing the most basic rule of entertainment, but you didn’t hold the same hopeful feelings for working with Jevil that Seam had. The old cat had no clue just how awful Jevil was, which was probably a good thing on his end. A part of you wanted to tell him everything about Jevil and just how awful he was but there was no way you could write it all out. Your hands cramped at the thought of writing that much as what you had to say was like that of a novel. There was a lot. But the main reason you held yourself back was that complaining got you nowhere. The show had to go on, it was going to no matter what, even if you had to work with someone who you just couldn’t stand. It wasn’t fair, but what could you do.

You looked to Seam, who in turn looked at you. A comfortable silence passed between the two of you. There was no doubt in your mind that Seam knew how you felt and would love nothing more than to find you a way out. But at the same time, he knew you needed to go through this. You knew you needed to go through this too. Performing for the king was what you had been practicing for, for a long time. Your dream was coming true. And Seam was rooting for you, despite your hardship. You could see it in his eye that he was expecting great things from you and this performance. His feelings passed to you, making you not want to give up and let him or yourself down. So yeah, the show must go on. Even if it was with an arrogant joker. For your pride and for Seam’s expectations, you were going to do this.

“So, when do you have to be at the castle?” Seam finally spoke.

You looked at the clock that hung haphazardly on the wall. The hands were bent out of shape and were pointing wildly to the large black numbers on the face. The time the clock told was wrong, but even still, you could determine when you needed to leave.

 _In about three hours._ You wrote.

“Are you sure you’ll make it through the Great Board and the forest in three hours?” Seam asked, his eye showing nothing but genuine concern. “It seems a bit . . . much.”

You thought about his question. Were you really going to be able to make it to the castle in three hours? Well, maybe if you hurried though it would be a close call. The Great Board was heavily guarded and would take an hour at most to get past. Then the forest was a whole other beast on its own. Usually, if one knew their way, it took an hour and a half to get through the forest. But you didn’t necessarily know the way and tended to get lost in that maze-like forest. How much time would be lost because of that? You couldn’t say. Three hours was definitely pushing it, especially for you and your tendency to get lost or distracted or both. But what other choice did you have?

 _Honestly, I don’t think so._ You finally wrote, the admission making you flush in embarrassment.

“Hmm . . .” Seam hummed to himself.

The old cat darkner knelt down behind his counter and began to rummage through his hidden collection of random knickknacks. Seam was a collector of various useful and useless items. His collection was expansive to say the least and it was with his strange hobby that he made his shop. Now, he sold most of the things he found. Except for a few special items that he kept hidden away and only brought out for special occasions. You didn’t think that what you had said would make this a special occasion, but it was clear that Seam thought otherwise. Sounds of various items banging together echoed through the room, making you more and more curious as to what he had for you with each passing second. With a triumphant sound, Seam stood back up and held his paw out. Held in his paw was a glowing golden medallion. Burned into the metal skin of the medallion was the magical runes for transportation.

“Here you are dear. A travel medallion set to send you straight to the castle and back.” Seam smiled wide. “This should help you.”

You looked at him and then stared at the medallion in utter awe. At a lost for what you did to deserve a friend like Seam, you ran behind the counter and gave him a big hug before signing ‘thank you’ to him. Seam smiled and gave a small nod of his head, your silent words being understood and accepted, before taking hold of your hand and placing the medallion in your hold.

“Now, to use the medallion, just focus your magic into it.” He intrusted calmly. “And maybe keep your eyes closed during transportation.”

You nodded your head frantically in understanding before closing your eyes and bringing the medallion to your heart with one hand and your other holding onto you trolley. In your mind’s eye, you could see your destination of the castle. The image was fuzzy and difficult to see. You focused every ounce of magic you had onto the projection. Within moments, the image cleared, and you could see every detail of the castle as if you were already there. The curly golden art deco embroidery that accented every inch of the castle, the tiny black and white spades that peppered the golden gates. It was all there and so real that you could touch it. You focused your magic into the medallion in your hands. The medallion warmed as your magic poured into it like a torrent, getting warmer and warmer as time slowly passed. The warmth radiated all throughout your body and tingled your limbs, but you didn’t stop. In the distance, you heard Seam say a simple goodbye as your feet felt as though they had lifted off the ground and you were floating. You wanted to open your eyes and see what was happening around you, but you remembered Seam’s warning and kept them closed. Within moments, the air changed from the warm musk of the Seam’s store to the open fresh air of being outside. Your feet touched ground once again. In the distance, you could hear the muffled sounds of weaponry being shuffled around. Carefully, you peaked your eyes open and saw that you were no longer in Seam’s shop but standing in front of the castle’s golden gates. It was quiet except for the loud crunching of someone biting into a crisp apple just behind you.

You turned around, the white remnants of magic fluttering off of you and into the wind. Coming up behind you slowly was Jevil, eating a bright red apple. He looked to be in a better mood, but you knew that it was just a matter of time before he showed his true self. You braced yourself for it. The carefree look he had as he munched on his apple, changed into indifference and slight hostility the second he saw you. It was as he was about to pass you that you noticed that he gave a quick nod of his head, the gesture that of recognition and salutation. You were stunned. Not once did you think that he would acknowledge your existence on this find morning. If anything, you thought that he wouldn’t say a word to you until the moment of the performance. Instead, you were shown that he had manners and was not entirely awful. You weren’t sure how to feel about that. But instead of thinking on it too much, you just followed after him.

The walk to the castle doors was quiet except for the occasional crunch of Jevil’s apple. Not a single word was spoken between you two and you didn’t know how to feel about it. On one hand, you didn’t have to pretend that you weren’t upset with him. But on the other, you felt as though you should mend the gap that was between you two. You just wished you knew how. But instead of trying, you let the silence continue as you both walked to the castle doors. The Ruddin guards stood at attention as you both passed them, only moving to allow one guard to open the doors for you. Jevil seemed unphased about everything that was happening around him, and you tried to follow his example as best as you could. Once inside the castle, you were reminded of the first time you stepped foot in the ornate building and became awestruck all over again. You wanted to stop and look at all the intricate details of the main entrance but stopped yourself once you realized that Jevil hadn’t stopped walking and in fact, turned the corner without so much as letting you know. As fast as your full trolley would allow you to go, you followed after him. Deep down, you wondered if Jevil knew where he was going. Even more so, you wondered how he managed to not get lost in the castle. There were so many twists and turns to take. It was after another turn that it dawned on you that he had come to the castle to perform before. But how many times did he come here that he knew the layout like the back of his hand? Just how close was he to the King that he was allowed to wander the halls unsupervised?

Your thoughts came to an abrupt end as you bumped into Jevil with your trolley. He shot you a quick glare before opening the audience chamber doors. The black and white room opened up before you, only to show that it was empty. Not a soul was inside, leaving you and Jevil alone as you both stepped inside. Silence stretched between the two of you. Not a word was spoken from Jevil as he focused on his apple. You didn’t know what to do about the awkward situation or what to say to him to make things a little less . . awkward. Jevil was just too difficult for you to talk to. You didn’t know a single thing about him nor he about you. The only thing you both shared was your profession. But was that enough to keep you from failing this improv performance? You honestly didn’t think so. You looked to Jevil. He looked uninterested as he polished off his apple and threw the core into the corner of the room. That was it. You couldn’t stand it anymore. Deciding to take initiative, you whipped out your notepad and began writing on it. Once satisfied with your message, you went up to Jevil and held the pad out to him.

_We should set up._

“No need. Improv.” He scoffed. “You do your thing, and I’ll do mine.”

The urge to smack him across his smug looking face with your notepad was strong, but you resisted the violent urge and instead decided it would be best to not even bother with him. You were wasting your time with the fool. If he wanted to fail this highly important performance for the king, then that was him. But you refused to go down with him. How doing your regular routine in combination with him doing his was going to work, you had no clue. And frankly, you couldn’t care anymore. You just hoped that the king would see just how talented you were and hire you full-time. You made a bit of a show turning away from Jevil, making sure that he saw you roll your eyes before you went back to your overflowing trolley. Frustration coloured your face as you pulled out your boombox and set it down before going for your walking globe and doing the same. How could Jevil not want to set up before such a big performance. Just what was that fool thinking? You tried your best to understand him, to get inside his head, but it got you nowhere. There was nothing to understand about him, he was just being ridiculous. There was no rhyme or reason to his denial to prepare. Even improv acts required a bit of preparation. But he was choosing to do none. He hadn’t even told you what theme the improv was going to be. Just what was that fool planning? How were you going to fit in his schemes? Did you even want to fit into his schemes? You didn’t know. All you knew was that you were starting to get worried all over again.

_BOOM_

The sound of door slamming open, mixed with the heavy footfalls of someone gigantic, startled you out of your head. You turned your head to the throne platform and saw The Spade King walk out from a hidden room. The Spade King, with his huge hulking body, lead the small group he was with as he walked across the thrown platform. Following behind the king in a single filed line was a young boy who was a spitting image of the king and a tall darkner with long white hair. The tall darkner looked uninterested while the young boy had his tongue sticking out as he skipped behind his father. Once the trio of dakners sat in their respective chairs, the king sitting in the middle with the young boy on his right and the tall darkner on his left, silence fell on the room. Their eyes watched your every move with great intent, making you shrink to avoid their gaze. You felt awkward under their stare, even more so as the king smiled big.

“I can’t wait to see what the best performers in all the dark world have put together for me.” The king’s voice boomed. “Now, show me your best!”

You froze in place. He wanted you to start right now? You weren’t ready. Your nerves were still much too jittery and none of your toys were in proper places for a smooth act. You looked to Jevil. He was as cool as a cucumber, not at all phased by the sudden pressure from the king. How he managed to be calm, you had no clue but that didn’t stop you from trying to copy him. You closed your eyes, relaxed your shoulders and took deep breaths. In the distance, you could hear Jevil start to tell the set up for a joke. You had no clue what he was actually talking about. Something about velcro. But despite that, his voice was oddly melodic as you focused on your breathing. Feeling calmer than when you had first entered the castle, you bent down to your boombox and turned it on. Jovial music played much too loud over the speakers, causing Jevil to have to yell to tell his story. You could feel Jevil’s glare on your back as you fumbled with the volume settings. Panic was starting to bubble within you. Things were already going south. You sighed in relief once the music was at a decent level. However, Jevil continued to scream his set up until he realized that he could be heard.

“Velcro, what a rip-off, am I right?”

Something about his delivery of the punch-line sounded like he was furious, but you tried not to focus on that and instead grabbed your juggling set. One after the other, you tossed the small colourful balls high into the air. You caught each one with ease and tossed them back up into the air, quickly falling into a juggling rhythm. The moment you felt comfortable in your rhythm, you started to walk about the room. The added movement made juggling all the more difficult, but you were used to doing even more than this. And you would have done more, so much more, if you were given the proper time to prepare. Instead, you went with something safe yet reliable. You wished that you could pull out every trick you had. After all, this was a very special and important occasion. This was the king and you wanted to impress him. Something so safe and walking and juggling was not going to do it. But you didn’t have much else prepared. The feeling sucked. If only the king had seen your performance in the village plaza, then he would see just how amazing you truly were. You were tempted to look to see if the king was enjoying himself, but you were too scared. Instead you continued without once ever glancing his way. It was as you were nearing that silly joker that you heard Jevil’s voice echo throughout the room and he started up with another joke.

“You know, I usually hate working with people. But this time, I’ll make an exception.” Jevil started. “I mean just look at her. She’s ridiculous. Working with her and the jokes just come flying.”

You stopped mid-juggle, the colourful balls raining down from the sky and falling at your feet. Did he just make a small jab at you? Why that no good joker! He was trying to use you as material. Not only that but he was trying to insult you while he did it. How dare he. You were not going to let him get away with this. You bent down and picked up one of your balls and with the quickness of a viper attacking its prey, you threw it at his head. The ball made contact, the sound of it hitting him giving you great satisfaction. He turned around, the shocked look on his face like he hadn’t expected you to retaliate. You gave him a sassy smirk. But there was a warning in that smirk. One that you hoped he understood. You were not to be used as his joke material. Nor was he allowed to insult you for comedic affect. For a moment, you thought that maybe he had understood you. But when he turned around, he started up again.

“My _childish_ partner is so funny, isn’t she?” He made a big emphasis on the word childish that you didn’t like. “Why just the other day she . . .”

You quickly bent down, picked up another ball and chucked it at him, stopping him mid-sentence. There was no way he had a ‘funny’ story about you from the other day. That only meant one thing. He was going to tell a lie on you. That was unacceptable. The king could not be told lies of you. It would ruin your chances of ever performing for the king ever again. Then it dawned on you. Maybe that was what Jevil wanted. After all, he was already lucky enough to perform for the king. Plus, he already made his hatred of you very clear. So, what was stopping him from trying to ruin you right here and right now, in front of the king. The thought was terrifying and had you going on the defensive as he turned to you again. This time, his eyes held nothing but irritation. Without a single word of warning, he started towards you. There was nothing you didn’t want more than to have him near you, so you started to back away. His pace became faster and so did yours. Before you knew it, he fully chasing you and you were running full hilt away from him. Your lungs began to burn from the sudden exertion as you ran around in circles trying to get Jevil to trip. But he was persistent in his pursuit. Behind you, you could hear foul swears coming from him. Words you were never had thought could come from anyone.

“Enough!” The king suddenly bellowed.

You came to a halt only to have Jevil run right into you. The two of you fell to the ground with a loud thud. Pain radiated all throughout your body as you were suddenly reminded of the dream you had this morning. You teared up a little at the unwanted memory as complex emotions ran amuck within you. Embarrassment for such a horrible act. Anger at Jevil for provoking you. Fear for what the king thought of you. It was exactly the same as you had predicted and it made you sick. Being pinned under Jevil didn’t help matters none. You pushed Jevil off of you with all the strength you had and hopped to your feet. The moment you were up, your eyes met the king’s and instantly, you regretted looking. He was upset. Not wanting to see anymore, you looked down and watched as Jevil slowly rose to his, all the while glaring daggers at you.

“That was the best yet worst performance I have ever seen.” The king finally spoke, his deep voice sounding disappointed.

“Well, I thought-eth it was horrible.” The tall darkner spoke. “Did these worms even practice before they came-eth and made a mockery of themselves?”

“Yeah, that was pretty bad.” The young boy chimed in, his tongue sticking out while he talked.

“Then it is settled. That was the worst performance ever.” The king boomed.

Hearing those harsh words was like a punch to your body, making you hang your head down in shame. The worst performance ever. The words stung in your heart as you repeated them in your head. You had never had someone say that about your acts. This was a first. And you didn’t like it. It hurt so much to hear such words. Tear threatened to fall but you fought them back as you looked over to Jevil. He was in shock. His golden eyes holding a wide range of conflicting emotions. From unbridled rage to astonishment. This must have been his first time hearing such words too. At least you weren’t alone. That made the pain just a bit more tolerable. But not much as you still felt like a huge failure. It was as a tear slipped down your face that you were grateful for the mask you always wore. It protected what was left of your dignity and kept prying eyes from seeing the tears you failed to stop the tears from slowly streaming down your face.

“Do you have anything to say for yourselves?” The king asked.

Jevil cleared his throat to respond. “Your highness . . .”

“Silence!” The king barked, making you flinch with how loud he was being. “No excuses! I will be expecting a better performance next time.”

“Next time!?” Jevil suddenly burst out.

“Yes, next time.” The king smiled and held up two fingers. “In exactly two weeks' time, I expect a better performance from you two.”

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. He was giving you a second chance. How? Why? No, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that you were not out of the game just yet. This second chance and the two-week time limit were all you needed to make an outstanding act. Even if you had to continue to work with Jevil, it didn’t matter. In two weeks’ time, you and he would have a wonderful act worthy for the king. You were going to make sure of that. Feeling a rush of emotions, it took everything in your power to not lift your mask up and wipe away your tears. Though this wasn’t exactly how you pictured thing going, everything turned out to somehow be going your way and you couldn’t be happier. Now all you needed was for Jevil to get his act together and then the two of you could come up with something truly amazing. You watched as the King, his son and the tall darkner slowly made their way out of the audience chamber. The second they left, and it was just you and Jevil alone in the room; you took a deep relaxing breath. It was finally over, and it only took the defeating feelings of failure to get there.

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Jevil couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Never in all his career had he ever failed a performance like he had just done. He was the funniest darkner in all the Dark World, yet he was just made a fool of in less than twenty seconds flat. And not in the good way. It was a miracle that the king was being so merciful and allowing them to perform again. But there in laid was the problem. Another performance with this girl. No. He couldn’t take it anymore. She was the reason this performance was rated the absolute worst. If she had just continued doing her thing and let him tell his jokes that were centred on what she was doing, they would have succeeded a little better. All she had to do was trust him and continue to do what she does best, and she couldn’t even do that. Well, the feeling was mutual. He didn’t trust her either, not after this disastrous fiasco. She made him look like a fool and not in a good way. And that was saying nothing of the knack she had for making his already short temper, even worse. She just got under his skin and stayed there, pestering him and making him angry. He had to get rid of her. If he couldn’t go to the king and ask for a removal without the threat of death, then maybe she could. After all, the king seemed to have a soft spot for her. She could probably get away with murder and the king wouldn’t have minded.

He turned to her, fury colouring his face. She was still staring at where the king and his entourage had just been. Whatever her feelings where, he didn’t know as her black mask with golden stars on the cheeks hid it all. He couldn’t stand it. Everything about this girl was irritating to him. From the mask that hid her true intentions to the childish way she acts for just about everything. There wasn’t a single thing she did that wasn’t irritating to him in some degree. And that irritation was quickly turning to anger every second that he looked at her and that stupid mask. He stomped up o her and grabbed her by the arm. The shocked look she pinned him with quickly turned to fear, her grey eyes dyed red from . . .crying? She had been crying? Why? What upset the little baby? Was getting yelled at for the horrible performance that she caused too much for her? Was she really that spoilt that she couldn’t handle a little bit of criticism?

“What is your malfunction?!” He spat, making her flinch. “I told you to improvise, not act childish!”

She ripped her arm from his grasp and started flailing. Jevil hadn’t the slightest clue as to what she was saying but he could tell that she was upset from just how frantic her moves were. He didn’t care and she knew it, which was why she stopped flailing at him and just stared at him. Seeing her tearstained eyes pierce him with unshakable resolve only served to make him madder. She had no remorse for what she had done.

“Seriously, all you had to do was do your stupid little juggling act.” He threw his arms up in the air, utterly frustrated with her. “Not throw a temper tantrum!”

She ran to her trolley and pulled out her notepad. With haste, she started writing furiously. The sight made Jevil roll his eyes and huff in frustration. She finished writing, came back over to him and practically shoved the paper pad in his face.

_You were insulting me and trying to make jokes out of me._

He pushed the pad away and shot her a hate filled look. “I wasn’t insulting you! God, do you even know what an improv act is? Improv is when-”

 _I know what improv is!_ She wrote. _But that doesn’t mean make jokes at my expense!_

Jevil groaned loudly, his temper and smart mouth about to get the better of him. He forced himself to hold his tongue and not insult the stupid girl. There was no point in trying to explain to her what he was trying to do. She was too stupid to understand and was jumping to conclusions. He wasn’t trying to insult her. He was trying to make her simple and quite frankly, not that interesting of a routine, funny. They needed to make the king, his brat and his pompous adviser laugh. That was the only way they were going to please them. There was no way any routine she came up with was going to make them laugh. Harlequins suck at making people laugh. They were good for play-like entertainment, which was something they could not do in a day’s time. So, making the king laugh was their best option. But clearly that was beyond her ability to understand. Jevil sighed, the exhale of breath was oddly calming. They couldn’t continue to work together. Their partnership was destined for failure. He was convinced she was stupid, but not stupid to the point where she would be able to understand where he was coming from. He needed to get he to understand and then go to the king and request to be relieved of working with him. He couldn’t do it because the last time, the king had threated to turn him to dust. But Jevil was certain the king wouldn’t do that to her. She was new to working in the castle and Jevil was sure the king didn’t want to scare her just yet. If anyone could free him, it was her.

Jevil took a calming breath before speaking. “Look. I can’t nor do I want to work with you. Our synergy is just not there. And even if it was, there just isn’t anything we can do together. Plus. . .”

Before he had even finished explaining himself, she was already writing. The scratches of her pen against the paper were loud in the silent room. He honestly didn’t want to read what she was going to say and so he turned away from her and crossed his arms across his chest. That didn’t stop her though. The moment she had finished writing what she wanted to say, she came around and shoved the pad in his face, making him read what she wrote.

 _Well too bad. The king wants us and only us. And clearly, he won’t take no for an answer. We are going to have to work together whether you like it or not_.

Seeing that made him irritated all over again. Of course she was too stupid to realize that they shouldn’t be working together. She would be such a goody-two-shoes that she wouldn’t object to the king’s stupid ideas. It seemed he was the only one who understood just how futile this situation was. He was also the only one who wanted to do something about it. Not wanting to control his temper anymore, he took the stupid girl’s paper pad and threw it to the ground.

“Well then, I hope you like failure. Because that is all you are going to get if we keep working together.”

Jevil stormed out of the audience chamber, slamming the huge doors behind him. He was grateful to be out of that horrid room, filled with his failure. Even more so to be away from that stupid girl. He stomped through the hallways, all the while wishing that he could talk to the king and get him to understand the situation. But he knew that doing so would result in another threat. Or worse, actual action. Either way, he couldn’t go to the king. He couldn’t get that girl to go to the king either. Trying to get his voice to be heard was out of the question it seemed. But then, what could he do? He was running out of ideas, patients and morale. Jevil sighed. God, he could go for a drink right about now. It had been years since he had a drink. The habit had become something more than just a habit all those years ago and it took intervention from Seam to get him to finally quit. But all this stress was making him want to put a bottle of hard whiskey to his lips. And what was one bottle? . . . or two? Seam would understand why he went back to his old lover, alcohol. Besides, it was just one night of binge drinking. What would be the harm? Jevil shock his head. Why was he trying to justify his actions? He was a grown ass man, capable of making his own decisions. He was stressed, upset and feeling like a failure. Of course he wanted to drink his sorrows away and get utterly shit-faced. And he was going to do just that. Who cared if tomorrow he was going to regret this decision? That was something he was just going to have to deal with.

Feeling a bit calmer and surer about his decision, Jevil made his way to the castle doors and left the hulking building, a bottle of whiskey calling his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter four. It was really hard for me to write and to be far, I don't think I did a good job on it, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. 
> 
> As Always, if you want to read the next chapter early, it is on my blog. Please feel free to visit, though do be kind to it as it is still in its infancy and there isn't much there yet. Also, it would do me a solid if you would allow the ads on the blog to run should you happen to visit. They are not intrusive and will not make your computer run slow, I promise. This just keeps me from having to ask you guys for donations, which I don't wanna do :D
> 
>  **Here is the link to the blog**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com


	5. Edify

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a bit of scolding from their friends and family, the two clowns decide to try to better understand each other

Seam rubbed at his sleep-filled eye as he got up from comfortable bed. His alarm clock hadn’t even gone off, but concern for his friends had him getting up. They hadn’t come to tell him what had happened with their performance yesterday and he was out of the loop and concerned. Did it go well? Where they able to work together? Or, in the worst case, was it a failure? He had no clue, but he wished he did. More than anything, Seam wanted his two friends to be able to work together. Granted, he would never tell them that. It would ruin the fun if they found out he knew that they were working together. But he honestly wished the best for them. Not that he was playing matchmaker with his friends, that would be ridiculous. However, he did want them to be friends. Then the three of them could hang out together. Seam smiled at the thought. It was a nice dream. But it was one that probably wasn’t going to happened. Those two were not getting along. And it was most likely Jevil’s fault. He didn’t get along with anyone. He was too busy trying to be a rebel or something. It was a darn shame too because they would have been close for sure. They had quite a bit in common. But unfortunately, Jevil was too impatient to listen to Harley. It was a real shame. 

With a small yawn, Seam looked at the little clock that sat near his bed. It read 7 o’clock. Just an hour before he had to open his shop. Slowly, he got up from his bed and hobbled to the bathroom. Standing in front of his sink, he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked tired. As usual. And he was tired. The night was his most hated of times. After living through the harrowing war and the economic devastation of the king’s occupation, sleeping had become a chore. He couldn’t stay asleep through the night and that was saying nothing of going to sleep, which he needed special medicine in order to do. The medicine worked, even though he abused its uses. But it couldn’t keep him dead to the night as vivid images bombarded his sleeping mind. He jostled, tossed and turned, a startled awake every night. Years of sleeping like this were taking its toll on him and he saw the toll every morning he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked terrible. Not even combing his fur would help. Though that didn’t stop him from combing his fur. Once his fur was perfectly combed, he then turned his attention to brushing his teeth and then to bathing himself. After a too good shower, Seam put his clothes on and made his way to his kitchen.  

He hobbled through the door of his tiny kitchen and was greeted with the soft morning glow of the star fruit trees that streamed through the windows. It was another quiet morning. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that the night was peaceful with how beautiful the morning light was. But he did know better. Though, that didn’t stop him from thinking it was beautiful and it perfect for a cup of coffee. With a quick glace to the clock that hung on the wall, he deemed it okay to grab a quick cup of the sweet bean elixir. He made a bee line to the location of his favourite coffee beans and began work of his coffee making magic. Within a few moments, his kitchen was smelling like delicious coffee. He grabbed his trusty coffee mug and started pouring the much-needed elixir. Warm steam danced in his face as Seam brought the mug up to his nose and took a deep breath of the aroma. Instantly, every part of him relaxed. No longer did he think of the horrors of the night and instead, his mind was filled with the possibilities of the day. Things couldn’t get any better. 

“Ugh. . .” 

Everything came to a stop as Seam became hyper aware of his surroundings. Seam looked around his kitchen, magic at the ready, only to hear nothing. His kitchen looked and sounded as it should. There wasn’t any movement that he could hear coming from his shop. Things seemed normal. It was silent once more. Calming down, Seam hoped that whoever or whatever had made that horrific sound was gone. Once again, Seam brought his mug to his nose and inhaled deep. 

“Ugh . . . Seam . . . Help.” 

Seam’s ears perked up to the sound. That voice was familiar. With haste, Seam hobbled to the front of his shop and opened the storefront door. What greeted him was Jevil, who looked like he had puked up all of his innards. The poor jester looked terrible, even worse than Seam did in the mornings after a night of terrors. It was a a horrific sight to see. But even more than that, it had Seam curious as to what had happened to Jevil to make him look like this. He couldn’t have been mugged, Jevil would have overpowered any thief with no problem. Then he smelt it. Alcohol. The smell was sharp to his nose. Seam looked at his hung-over friend and was shocked. He hadn’t seen Jevil hung-over in such a long time. The last time was when he and a few others had to give the poor jester an intervention because he had been badly abusing the alcohol. Seam had hoped that he would never see his friend like this ever again. But here he was, dying from a night of excessive drinking. Had the performance been that bad that he resorted to drinking again? The thought was worrisome to say the least. He didn’t want Jevil to go back to excessive drinking. Not again. 

“Jevil, you didn’t.” Seam scolded as he picked Jevil up to his feet and walked him inside. 

“Shh . . . stop yelling.” Jevil mumbled. 

“I’m not yelling. Not yet anyway.” Seam brought Jevil into the kitchen and sat him in a chair. Once he was certain the poor jester was not going to fall onto the floor, he went to the coffee pot and poured his friend a cup and sat it in front of him. “So, what happened?” 

“It that mute!” Jevil shouted only to clutch at his head. “She ruined our whole routine.” 

“I see.” Seam whispered as he leaned against the wooden kitchen cabinet and took a sip of coffee. 

It was difficult to hear him talk about Harlequin so badly. Though Jevil was saying that she caused their routine to fail, Seam knew it to be a lie. And that didn’t mean that he thought that it was Jevil’s fault either. If anything, he thought that it was both of their fault. They weren’t even trying to get along or understand each other. Jevil wasn’t even trying to learn Hands or listen to what Harley was trying to say. And Harlequin wasn’t putting her foot down and making herself heard. It was unlike her. She was usually so straight forward and even bossy with her desire to be understood. But she wasn’t being like that with Jevil and Seam didn’t understand why. Jevil must have done something or set a bad impression about himself. That was the only solution that Seam could think of. It was painful to watch the two flounder around like this and ruin their reputation. And though Seam was trying his best to guide them, there was only so much he could do. They were adults who needed to figure this working situation out on their own. But Seam wanted so badly to just tell them what to do. Because the solution was so obvious. 

“I can’t stand her.” Jevil started. “She’s so childish.” 

“How so?” 

Jevil took a moment to answer as he took a sip of the coffee. “You should have saw her, Seam. She was throwing things at me because I was going to use her as joke material. She ‘thought’ that I was insulting her somehow. Can you believe that?” 

“Yes.” 

Seam was not surprised when Jevil shot him a look, but he was not going to lie just avoid hurting Jevil’s ego and souring his already sour mood. There was no learning in doing that. Besides, it was true that Seam could see Jevil picking on Harley. She was unfortunately, an easy target for the cruel. And the jester could be cruel. Not just to poor Harlequin but to anyone Jevil didn’t like. It was that awful temper and quick tongue of his that made him this way and kept him from making any friends. It was this very reason that when Seam found out Jevil and Harley were working together, that he got worried. Harley was a sweet girl who didn’t like hostile or combative situations. Not that he thought her as frail, but more reserved and with a strong desire for peace. She was easy to get along with whereas Jevil with his temper was not as easy. However, that didn’t mean that Seam 100% believed that Jevil insulted Harley or was mean to her in any way. He just knew it was a possibility. A strong possibility. He knew how Jevil was. 

“Thanks for being on my side, Seam.” Jevil took another sip of coffee. 

“You know that I don’t pick sides.” Seam copied his friend and took a sip of his own coffee. 

“Well, I wish you would.” Jevil whined as he laid his head on the kitchen table. “And pick my side.” 

“And what would you learn from me doing that?” 

“Ugh, I don’t want to learn.” Jevil groaned. 

“I noticed.” 

Nursing his coffee, Seam sighed as he watched Jevil give up. At least the jester was telling the truth. He didn’t want to learn. Seam just hoped that it was a temporary thing and not something permanent. After all, Jevil was so close to the answer. A part of Seam just wanted to go out and say what it was that Jevil needed to do. After all, Jevil was so close to the answer. His resolve was there and it was clear that he was desperate to make things work between him and Harley. She too. They just weren’t seeing eye to eye and it was all because of a lack of communication. Jevil needed to take the plunge and learn Hands. That was the only way and Seam wanted so badly to tell his friend just that. But would the jester listen? Would Jevil try? Seam looked at his friend and couldn’t stand the pathetic sight anymore. He had to tell him. Otherwise the jester would do nothing and he and Harley’s reputation with the king would be put in jeopardy. Seam couldn’t stand around and let that happen. Those two had worked too hard to just throw it all away because of a lack of communication. If he was going to try to command Jevil to do anything, now would be the time to do it. He was inebriated and a bit more cooperative. There was a high chance that Jevil would listen, if he spoke now. 

“Jevil.” Seam spoke softly, trying his best not to make his friends hang over even worse. 

“Ugh. . . .” 

“Have you tried learning Hands? Specifically, from her?” 

Jevil was quiet for a moment before speaking. “No . . .” 

Seam was grateful that Jevil was being honest. That was a promising start. “Okay, I want you to learn how to speak and read Hands. Specifically, from her. This will build a relationship between you two. Everyone’s way of speaking in Hands is different. You need to learn her way of speaking. Okay?” 

“ . . . Okay.” The jester sounded defeated, not a single complaint was left in him. 

“I want you do this before your next performance with her.” 

Jevil lifted his head slowly off the table. “How did you know about our next performance?” 

“I know the king. He isn’t going to let you two off the hook so easily.” 

Jevil sighed and laid his head back down on the table. Silence fell over them, though it didn’t last long as Jevil soon started snoring softly. Seam sipped at his coffee in silence, enjoying the quiet of the morning as well as letting his friend get his much-deserved rest. This wasn’t exactly how he expected his morning to go. He had expected to open his store with little fussing and to sit behind the counter in contemplative silence, waiting for the rare customer. But deep down, he was glad it happened like this. Yes, he was late in opening his store. But Jevil needed help. Harlequin too for that matter. They were pathetic on their own. And he was the only one who would take the time and tell them what they needed to hear. Not what they wanted to hear. It was tough sometimes, but it was something he needed to do. He was their elder after all. It was his duty to guide them and keep them from making the same mistakes he made when he was their age.  

Seam took the last swallow of his coffee and placed his mug into the sick before leaving the kitchen and heading to the storefront. The familiar deep browns of the walls and the smells of the knickknacks he had accumulated over the years, assaulted his senses. Looking at the walls covered in various elixirs and trinkets, his mind was flooded with memories of how he acquired every single one. It was a pleasant stream of thoughts; one he supposed every parent had when looking at their child. And he knew it was strange to think of it like that. But this store was his child. He watched it grow into what it was today, and he will continue to watch it grow into the future, with nothing but great pride on his face. He made this store. With a smile, he made his way to the small sign that hung in the small window and flipped it over, so it said ‘open’. Satisfied and filled with overflowing pride, Seam went over to his chair behind the counter and sat down. The tiny wooden chair creaked a little under his weight. But now that he was in place and everything was in order, the store was now officially open. 

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Jevil’s eyes fluttered open. Almost instantly, he wanted to close them back again. The light in whatever room he was in was too damn bright and it made his already aching head, ache even more. With a great deal of reluctance, he looked around the tiny room, his body too sore to do any more. Next to his head sat a mug filled to the brim with coffee. There was no steam coming from it, so it had to be cold. Jevil sat up just a little more so he could get his bearings. The light brown walls caked with random knickknacks and the wooden counters filled to the brim with cups and food snacks, looked so familiar. Then everything came rushing back to him. He had stumbled to Seam’s place in hopes that his old friend would make the awfulness of being hung over go away. Seam was known for having a bunch of useless junk and Jevil thought that maybe the old coot had a magic medicine that made hang overs disappear. Seam didn’t and instead what Jevil got was a scolding from the old codger. He should have known. And now he was forced to suffer the consequences of his impulsive actions from yesterday. God, he was stupid. Jevil rubbed at the temple of his head and then at his eyes. He had to get up. Be productive. Something. 

He slowly lifted himself from the chair and regretted it instantly. Everything started to swim in his vision. He fell back down in the chair and sighed. Getting up was still not happening. Not yet anyway. Which was a crying shame, because he had to pee. Jevil sighed once again and laid his aching head back down on the table. Its surface was cool to his head, making the ache of his hang over just a bit more bearable. Now what was he going to do. Laying here all day wasn’t exactly what he had on his list of things to do. But getting up and doing actual productive shit was just too much right now. And if he were honest with himself, he didn’t really want to be productive today anyway. If anything, he would have sat at home and done nothing. So maybe sitting at Seam’s and doing nothing was an improvement. Jevil gave a soft chuckle and regretted that too. Man, everything hurt so much. His head, his body, his internal organs. Everything. Never again, he thought. Never again would he ever let alcohol touch his lips. Seam would be so proud. But there was one thing that Seam would be even more proud to hear. 

Slowly, Jevil took a piece of paper from his pocket and then, using magic, conjured up a pen. For a while, he just stared at the blank parchment. He couldn’t believe that he was going to do this. To ask that girl to teach him Hands. It was such a foreign concept. One he would have never even considered if it weren’t for Seam planting the idea in his head. No. Seam didn’t plant the idea. He was beyond that now. No, Seam was forcing the idea and directly telling him what to do. That only meant one thing. Seam was tired of seeing him flounder around and failing to do what needed to be done. Jevil didn’t know how to feel about that. On one hand, it was great finally being told what direction to go when it came to that mute girl. On the other, he hated the direction he was being told to go in. It wasn’t the one he wanted. And he supposed that made him just as childish as his mute partner, if not more so. No, not more so. She was still more childish than he was. Throwing things at him. That was super childish. 

He was stalling. 

With another sigh, Jevil put the pen to the paper. But not a single word could be written down. He didn’t know what to say. What could he say? That he was a jerk but that he wanted to learn Hands from her anyway. Well, when he put it that way . . . yeah no. It would make her hesitant to teach him. Maybe simple was the way to go. ‘ _Dear Harlequin_ ’, he started only to erase it as soon as he wrote it. Something about starting off in such a formal way had him feeling awkward. How was he supposed to start such a grovel-like letter?  ‘ _Sup_ _Harlequin_ ’. He erased that so fast it left his head aching. With a loud groan, Jevil placed the pen down and gave up. Why was trying to talk to this girl so freaking difficult? What was it that made talking to her so hard? After all, it was just a letter asking her to teach him hands. What was so hard about that? Frustrated with himself at not being able to do such a simple task, Jevil took hold of the pen and just scribbled the first thing that came to his head. It was hard to read since he wasn’t writing properly, but he didn’t care. She would get the point. Once he was satisfied with what he had wrote, he used his magic and sent the letter to her location. 

There. He did it. Now everyone can stop whining and complaining at him. Jevil took a deep breath and laid still. The pain in his head was easing off, but that didn’t mean he wanted to risk getting up. For fear that doing so would make the pain come back with a vengeance. With nothing left to do and feeling a certain weight fall of his shoulders, Jevil closed his eyes. Before he really knew it, he had fallen asleep once again. 

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★ 

You walked through the small familiar neighbourhood with ease, your eyes scanning every house in search for your parents' home. Passing a few colourful houses, you soon came to a stop in front of a familiar baby blue house covered in ivy. You stared at the house in awe. It had been quite some time since you had been to your childhood home. Nothing had changed about it. Your parents’ home was still buried in plant life. From winding ivy to the colourful wild flowers that bloomed all throughout the tiny neighbourhood. The small house was swamped with flora. All the homes in the neighbourhood were swamped with ivy and flowers. But no one did a thing about it because everyone liked it. You did too. You remembered when you decided to move a bit closer to the town and found that the flora was a bit sparser. You had actually become homesick because of it and had to come back to your parents’ house for a couple of days. It was an embarrassing story, one that you had never told anyone. But even to this day, you still got homesick. Whether it be for your little apartment or for your parent’s house, you were just sensitive to leaving the place you called home.  

Breathing in the earthy smell of the wild flowers, you walked up the short flight of steps to your parent’s house and knocked on the door. Within moments, your mother opened the door. She was a humanoid Darkner, about the same short height as you. She was wearing a beautiful yellow sundress, perfect for gardening out in the lovely weather. The dress looked beautiful against her chocolate brown skin. Her long dark hair was out, showing off the sharp horns that adorned her head. You wanted to cry at the sight of her. It had been much too long since you had last seen her. Though you were surprised that she even answered the door in the first place. She tended to be a bit of a busy body and was always up to something, making her rather flighty. It was your stick in the mud father who took care of most the work for the house, opening the door being one of his jobs. Your mother looked up as if she somehow read your mind and her emerald green eyes brightened when she saw you. 

“Harley, what a pleasant surprise!” She reached and gave you a tight hug. When she let go of you, she tilted her head and shouted to your father. “Honey, Harley is here!” 

Taking hold of your hand, your mother led you into the house and to the kitchen where your father sat, sipping on a cup of coffee. The pudgy man-beast's fur was fluffier than usual as his red stripped polo and brown khakis bunched his fur up. It looked like his clothes were a bit too tight, but you knew that they fit just fine. Your mother would never allow him to wear clothes that were too tight or too loose. Though why she bothered clothing him was always beyond you. It wasn’t like he needed to wear clothes. He had a thick coat of fur covering his whole body. But he wore clothes anyway, probably to copy your mother. Still, he looked rather comfortable. Cold, calculating grey eyes shot over to you as your father gave you a rare smile, showcasing sharp teeth glinting in the light. He got up from his seat at the kitchen table and walked over to you. His body a hulking mass of ferocious wolf-man compared to yours and your mother’s tiny frame. The second he was in reach of you, he gave you the tightest hug you had ever had. It was so tight that he lifted you off the ground with ease. 

“Harley! It is so good to see you.” He said as he set you back on your feet. 

 _It’s good to see you both._  You signed. 

“What brings you home?” Your mother asked with a smile, her voice light and friendly. 

“Is everything alright?” Your father finished, his voice the complete opposite of hers, sounding gruff and concerned. 

You didn’t know how to respond to them. You had marched over to their house on a whim that you had yesterday and with the desire to vent to them about Jevil. You hadn’t given much thought as to how you would start your tale, the only thing on your mind being how Jevil hurt you yesterday. But venting about Jevil would open the doors to your father committing a murder. Especially if he found out that Jevil had made you cry yesterday after that horrific performance. That would not be good. It was imperative that you stayed away from that particular topic. But then, where did you begin with your tale? You could start with how awful your performance for the king was. But then your parents didn’t know that you were performing for the king. That was a whole other story in itself. There was just so much to say and you had none of it planned out. In the end, you decided to start from the beginning.  

 _Everything is alright. There is a lot I_ _have to_ _tell you._  

“Oh yay, this is going to be good.” Your mother squealed. 

 She took both yours and your father’s hands and led you both to the living room. Everything about the room was the exact same as it had been when you were a child. The white carpeted room was spotless except for the occasional loose paper or mail stack. The cream coloured walls were still cluttered with pictures of the family, most of which were you when you were younger. Every now and then, the picture would be broken up with actual art or a random wall plant. And dotted around the room where little statues of fairies. Sitting across from the television was the family’s tattered brown sofa set. Memories of jumping on the poor sofa flooded your memories and had you smiling from ear to ear. Sitting in the corner next to the sofa was your father’s well used recliner of the same colour. The poor thing looked like it was tired of holding your father’s weight and it cried out when you father sat in it. You made a mental note to look into getting him a new one as you sat down next to your mother on the sofa. The two of them looked at you expectantly, their eyes waiting for your hands to speak. Organizing your thoughts, you took your mask off and laid in next to you before you started signing. 

 _So, I was asked to perform for The King . . ._  

“Oh my goodness, that is wonderful honey!” Your mother beamed at you. 

“I’m so proud of you.” You father chimed in, a small yet proud smile on his face. “I knew you could do it.” 

 _Thanks_.  

You smiled shyly at them. But the smile vanished as soon as the memories of yesterday came rushing back to you. Jevil’s harsh words after the performance repeated in your head like a negative mantra and dared to make you start crying all over again. You held the tears back for your parent’s sake and rubbed at your eyes to make sure that you weren’t actually crying. Once no longer in danger of stress crying, you began to sign once more, making sure not to let your wild emotions get the better of you and have you say something that would have your father go mad. 

 _But the king wants me to work with someone and he is a huge_ _jer._ _. ._ You stopped yourself in the nick of time and reframed what you were about to say, for fear of your father going berserk mode. _Well, we don’t get along. And because we don’t get along, our performances are suffering. Like yesterday, our performance was so horrendous that the king was furious with us. I don’t know what to do._  

“What do you mean, not getting along.” Your father growled. “Has he hurt you, Harley?” 

 _No, no._  You signed frantically.  _We just don’t see eye to eye for our acts, that’s all_. 

Your father calmed down, but the way he looked at you had you wondering if he knew you were lying. God, you hoped he didn’t know. That would be disastrous. Not just for you because lying was like a mortal sin in the house, but for Jevil too because your father wasn’t going to put up with anyone hurting you. It was quite the situation to be in, one you didn’t want to think about, so you looked to your mother for help. She was the only one who could control your father, but she had been oddly quiet throughout the whole ordeal. It was unlike her as she usually came to your defence when you father got protective. It was when you finally looked to her that you saw her deep in thought. Whether she was thinking about what you had said or something completely different that had caught her attention for a moment, you weren’t sure. Either way, she was lost in her thoughts and not hearing how your father was pressuring you. Her hand was on her chin and her eyes looked far away as she tried to think.  

“Have you two tried talking out your differences?” You mother finally asked. 

 _I’ve tried writing out what I want to say but he doesn’t read it. And he doesn’t know Hands, so I can’t talk to him that way. I also don’t think he wants to learn it._  

“Ah, but you don’t know that he doesn’t want to learn.” You mother patted your leg. “Try asking him if he would like to learn Hands and if he says yes, teach him. That will be a good bonding thing for you both.” 

 _But what if he says no?_ You asked. 

Your mother took a moment to think before she spoke, her voice sombre. “Then you’ll have to talk to the king and let him know that there is no communication between you and him.” 

“Hopefully, the king will terminate your partnership with this man.” Your father suddenly spoke up. “If he doesn’t, let me know. I’ll talk to him.” 

You nodded yes to him, but you knew that there was no way you were going to let your father talk to the king for you. With your father’s horrible temper, he would get himself sentenced to death or something. That left you having to talk to the king yourself, which was something you really didn’t want to do. The King was obviously looking forward to having you and Jevil working together. You didn’t want to burst his bubble with bad news. That meant that you were banking everything on Jevil wanting to learn Hands. Which was a horrible thing to bank on. He seemed to have had it with you, and you him. His attitude was horrible. But if there was anything left in him that wanted to have things succeed, you hoped that he would listen to it and want to learn. 

“Hopefully we were able to help you out dear.” Your mother gave you a hopeful look. 

“Keep us up to date from this point forward.” Your father nodded his head. 

 _I will._  

“Are you staying for dinner?” Your mother looked so hopeful that you were going to stay. 

 _I’m sorry, but I can’t stay._  You signed sadly as you grabbed your mask and put it back on.  _Maybe next time._  

Her face fell almost instantly at your words and seeing it broke your heart. But you had a lot to do in order to persuade Jevil to want to learn Hands. Somehow, you had to find him and ask him how he felt about learning Hands, which was going to be a task in a half. You still weren’t sure how you were going to go about it. And of course, the thought of talking to Jevil after the harsh words he said to you, made you nervous for another lashing. But you had to be brave. This was the only solution for saving your future and you didn’t want to give it up just because you were worried that Jevil would be harsh with you again. And you needed to get started with coming up with a plan right away. She seemed to understand and stood up and hugged you tight. 

“Okay, but you have to come a visit more often, okay? I won’t take no for an answer.” She scolded as she let you go. 

“Yeah.” Your father chimed in. 

You nodded your head, sealing your promise to visit again. Her face lit up again, the sight making you smile. Your father stood and gave you a hug before joining your mother in leading you to the front door. With one last goodbye, you eventually left the house and started walking the neighbourhood once again. Your mind was going a million kilometres a second, filled with half-baked plans to talk to Jevil. None of them got far, and most of them ended in failure. But you knew that all you had to do was reframe your thinking and believe that things were going to go well. Yes, Jevil was a pain but there was a chance that maybe, he would say yes. And you were banking on that yes like no tomorrow. But before you could even think of him saying yes, you needed to figure out what you were going to say to him. Did you start with a hello or a hi? Should you be formal about the invitation or casual? And of course, you were going to have to write it out so, maybe a letter? Would he appreciate a letter from you? God, you hoped so. 

The overgrown fauna and flora of your childhood neighbourhood slowly morphed into brick and cobblestone as you came into the main town. You hadn’t even noticed the change until you almost tripped on a loose bit of road. You looked around in a complete daze. The quiet and empty roads of your childhood neighbourhood soon became filled with Darkners. When had you arrived in town? Had it always been that close? You weren’t sure. You weren’t sure of anything anymore. Utterly confused and lost in thought, you merged into the crowd and started your way home. The walk felt like it was forever as you navigated tight corridors filled with other Darkners. All the while, you stayed in your thoughts. Jevil learning how to talk to you would open up so many doors. You envisioned having so many wonderful conversations with him. But could you really become friends with him? Jevil had made it pretty clear that he hated you. But maybe that was just because he couldn’t understand you. Maybe if the two of you could have a proper conversation, he would change his mind. 

 _Pop!_  

Your thoughts came to a sudden halt at the sudden loud popping sound. A puff of purple smoke blinded you and stung your eyes. Coughing your lungs out, you fanned the smoke from your face. Once the smoke was gone, you were finally able to see a piece of paper floating in front of you. It dawned on you that what had happened was a magic telegram. There weren’t a lot of Darkners who could send magic telegrams. And those that could tended to have pretty powerful magic at their disposal. You didn’t know of anyone who could send a letter to you like that. Seam and your parents usually sent mail through the post office and you didn’t know anyone else that well to send mail. Curiosity burned through you as you looked at the floating paper. Maybe it wasn’t for you? That was a possibility. But you couldn’t leave this paper floating in the middle of the road. If it wasn’t for you, you could just take it to the post office, and have it sent to its rightful owner. Hesitant, you reached out for it and were shocked to read its contents.  

 _Harlequin,_  

 _Will you teach me Hands?_  

 _Thanks,_  

 _Jevil._  

You wanted to cry out with joy. This was a dream come true. Jevil wanted you to teach him Hands. And you didn’t have to approach him first. He reached out to you. You couldn’t ask for a better situation. And yeah, there was a chance that Jevil was pranking you. There was a high chance that he was. But you didn’t want to believe that he would stoop that low. You wanted to believe that he was a decent person who honestly wanted to learn Hands. Even more than that, you wanted to believe that he wanted to have a proper conversation with you. That he wanted to build a friendly relationship with you. Thanking your lucky stars, you clutched the haphazardly written note to your heart and started running to your apartment building that was looming in the distance. This was a once in a lifetime moment you couldn’t afford to miss. There was only so long that Jevil would want to learn, you were sure. You needed to respond to him and quickly. And though you couldn’t send magical telegrams because your magic was weak, you could send him a regular snail mail letter. You just hoped that he would get it in time.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 5. I'm not the proudest of this chapter, mostly because I was not on my A-game when writing it.
> 
> Also, I'm so sorry that I was not able to post on Saturdays for the past two chapters like I said i was going to do. A lot is happening at my job and it is taking a bit of a toll on me. But, I will try my best to make the Saturday deadlines.
> 
> As always, if you want to read the latest chapter, it is out on my blog. Please feel free to visit, though do be kind as it is still in its infancy stages and there is not much there yet. Also, it would do me a solid if you would allow the ads on the blog to run should you happen to visit. They are not intrusive and will not make your computer run slow, I promise. This just keeps me from having to ask you guys for donations, which I don't wanna do :D
> 
>  **Here is the link to the blog**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com


	6. Chironomy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harley teaches Jevil how to listen to her magic frequency by linking magic with him. 

It took a while to make it to your apartment. The distance seeming to be longer than normal because you were in a rush. When you finally entered your living room, you went to the kitchen and examined Jevil’s letter once again, this time with much more attention to all the small details. The paper looked like it had seen better days and was wrinkled like it had been in a pocket or bag for a long time. Looking at his note again, you could tell where Jevil had erased multiple times before settling on something he liked. You also noticed that Jevil’s handwriting was horrendous. Everything about it was slurred and lines jumbled together making the words hard to decipher. But everything about it seemed like Jevil. That alone reassured you that this wasn’t a cruel prank by the jester. At least you hoped it was a prank and that he was serious in learning. You turned the paper all around and when you saw the back of the paper, you noticed another small note.

_Just attach your response to this paper._

You nodded your head at the paper, as if it could see you and you started you search for a paper pad. The search was frantic and took a long time. Even longer than the walk to the apartment. For you to have paper pads strewn about your home everywhere, when you were in a desperate rush to find one, you couldn’t. That would be your luck. You ran about your apartment, frantically searching for a single piece of paper and a pen. Back and forth, back and forth. You searched every nook and cranny of your apartment only to come up short. You ran back to your bedroom and fell to your knees to look under the bed. Surely there had to be something under there. You reached your hand under the bed and felt a familiar rectangular pad. Feeling ecstatic for your find, you pulled the pad out. How it got there, you had no clue. But you sat on the floor with the pad of paper in your lap and just stared at the blank paper, your mind going blank. You knew what you wanted to say but not how to say it. In school, you were always taught to start a letter with ‘dear’ and to always be formal. But you couldn’t be too formal because that would be weird, but you couldn’t be too casual because you were not that close with Jevil. You needed a nice balance of the two, but you were stuck in how to do it. You sat in thought for a moment, before you just decided to go with your gut feeling and started writing.

_Hi Jevil,_

_I would gladly teach you Hands._

_If you are able, you can come over tomorrow morning and we can get started._

_My address is . . ._

You looked over your finished letter, making sure that everything was spelt and grammatically correct. Finally pleased with what you had, you got up, picked up a stapler and went back to the kitchen. You picked up Jevil’s letter and stapled yours to his. The second you did so, Jevil’s letter started to hum and began to glow a deep purple. You let go of the paper and watched at it began to float in the air. It then started to spin around wildly before it disappeared in a puff of thick purple smoke. The smoke was thick in the air, making you cough as you fanned the miasma out of your face. So that was what it was like to use a magic telegram. The fact that Jevil was able to send you one meant that he had strong magic. The thought was amazing to you and had you in awe of his strength. Though, you had to wonder just how powerful Jevil really was. He didn’t look like the type to have such powerful magic, yet he was capable of using magic telegrams. You wondered what else he was able to do. Regardless, you were grateful that he was able to use magic telegrams as that saved you having to use the regular postal services. Your letter would have never made it to him today without his magic.

You went to the living room and sat on the sofa in thought. Teaching Hands. It never occurred to you how to do that. You had never taught anyone Hands before and were not sure how to go about it. The art of Hands was unique to each individual but there was also a generic form that could be used, though the generic form lost a bit of content when talking. You wondered which you should teach to Jevil. More than that, you wondered what he would allow you to teach him. Jevil learning your individual way of talking would open many doors and allow your performances to be spectacular, for sure. But Jevil already was upset with you and probably wouldn’t like linking magic with you in order to hear your frequency. You supposed that would be part of the lesson that was left in the air. But that didn’t mean that the rest of your lesson had to be unplanned. With the night being so young, you decided to spend some time planning your first Hands lesson.

You went over to your bookcase and ran your finger across the titles until you came across the book you were looking for, Beginner Hands. It had been such a long time since you had looked at the old textbook. The last time being when you were a small child, just learning how to ‘talk’. Memories of those times flooded your mind as you grabbed the book, sat back down on the sofa and began reading the first chapter. Your parents had always praised this book for being a wonderful starting point as well as teaching tool. You hoped that you would see what they saw. As you finished reading the short chapter, you came to the realization that planning a lesson was going to be difficult. There was a lot of information that you didn’t know where to begin. You didn’t want to overwhelm Jevil and make him so frustrated with information that he gave up before he even began. How would you avoid doing that? You sat in thought but in the end, came up empty.

It was going to be a long night.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The distant sound of your alarm going crazy in your bedroom startled you awake. With your mind groggy and sluggish, you looked around yourself in a daze. Scribbled on papers, textbooks and your mask were scattered all around you haphazardly. It was like a tornado had appeared in your living room, though that didn’t stop you from seeing the contents of the papers. From paragraph-long descriptions of hand positions and their meanings to detailed diagrams and charts, the papers were loaded from front to back with information. It was impressive just how much you were able to elongate and expand upon something as simple as the basics and beginning information on Hands. Looking from the mess around you, your eyes shifted to the windows. The soft glow of the town shown through the glass panes and you could hear the distant muffled chatter of the crowds below. Rubbing at your eyes you got up slowly, went into your bedroom and turned the alarm off. You couldn’t believe that it was already morning. At some point during your night planning a lesson, you had fallen asleep. At least you had changed into your pyjamas at some point. Though you couldn’t remember when that had happened, everything was a bit of a blur. With a yawn, you did your usual morning routine and changed into your casual clothes before going back into the living room and cleaning up the mess you had made. Every now and then, you would re-read some of your writing and become impressed all over again. Though you had to wonder if maybe you had gone a bit overboard.

It was as you were organizing the papers that you decided that yes, you had indeed gone a bit overboard. But you couldn’t have helped it. You were so excited that Jevil wanted to learn Hands that you wanted to teach him everything there was about the strange language. And yeah, there was a chance that he was just pranking you. Because he was cruel like that. But you wanted to believe that he had good intentions. That he wanted to speak with you properly. It was that hope, that belief that had you going nuts with lesson preparation last night. But as you were looking back on everything, you realized that you couldn’t use most of your notes. Not that they were bad. On the contrary, they were fantastic. At least you thought so. But your overly detailed notes would make things so confusing to a newcomer. Especially to someone like Jevil who was probably already a bit reluctant to learn the language. They would be great for answering questions in depth should he have some, but you needed something a bit simpler for teaching purposes.

Deep in thought, you placed the stack of organized papers on the kitchen table then went back to the living room to grab your Hands textbook. You supposed you could make things simple. Really the only tough part was learning the magic frequency of the Hands speaker. Once that was learnt, things started to fall into place. And all that was needed was for Jevil to decide how he wanted to learn your frequency. If he wanted to link magic with you or if he wanted to learn without the help of a link. You were capable of teaching either form but linking magic would make things so much easier. Not just for Jevil but for you too, as then he would be able to just listen to you as if you were actually talking. If he chose to link with you, he wouldn’t need to learn all the hand signs for words. All he’d have to do is listen. Surely, he could do that.

Finishing the last touches of your makeshift study area, you looked around you. Your apartment was spotless now that you had gotten those papers up. Perfectly acceptable to have guests come over, to have Jevil come over. The only thing on the floor was your mask. Feeling a bit nervous at having Jevil come into your home, you grabbed your mask and put it on. With the mask on, you had to wonder why you were feeling so nervous. There was no reason to. Jevil was probably busy and therefore might not even come over today. Not that you were hoping he wouldn’t show. It was the opposite, you wanted him to come over and you wanted to teach him how you spoke. You just didn’t want him picking on you. Compared to how his apartment was, you were living rather humble. You didn’t have a giant entertainment system taking up most of the space in the living room, nor did you have a ton of movies lining shelves upon shelves.  Not that you opposed to the items he had. You just didn’t want him picking on you for your lack of items. He did hate you after all, so it was something you could see him doing.

You were about to head back into the kitchen when you heard a knock on the door. Even though you were expecting someone, the shrill sound still startled you a bit. You went to the door and opened it. Standing in your doorway, looking rather comfortable in his dark purple leather jacket and blue jeans, was Jevil. He looked at you and you were shocked to see no hostility in his eyes. Instead, he looked at you like he was an innocent Darkner. It was not what you were expecting, but it was a refreshing change that you welcomed.

“Yo.” He said, his voice deep like he was tired. “Your letter said to come in the morning, so I did.”

You smiled and waved at him before stepping side and letting him inside. Jevil stepped inside the living and almost instantly, his eyes darted around the place. You expected such behaviour from him as this was his first time ever visiting you. When you had visited him those days ago, you had done the same thing. So it was only fair. He continued to look around all the while being silent. Not a word escaped him. You wondered what he was thinking but decided to let him explore without disrupting him. When he was finished, he turned to you. The question of what to do next was clearly on his face and you took that as your cue to lead him into the kitchen. The kitchen was also not safe from his exploratory gaze. He didn’t spend too much time looking around and sat down at the table within a few moments. You copied him and once in your seat across from him, you took out your note pad and began writing.

_I’m so glad you decided to learn Hands._

“Eh . . .” Jevil scratched nervously at his head. “A friend of mine said I should do it, so. . .yeah.”

_Well, thank you._

“Heh . . .”

You were pleasantly surprised by how well the conversation was going. Even more so with how nervous Jevil was. Usually, he had a hostile attitude when he spoke to you and he made it obvious that he didn’t want to be talking to you. But today, everything was different. There was no hostility in Jevil’s voice or words. In fact, he seemed so friendly and even a bit shy now. It was kind of cute. And what’s more, he was showing interest in what you had to say and responding back to you. This brand new Jevil was such a pleasant change. But you wondered if he was capable of being so kind like this, why he couldn’t have been like this from the beginning. Well, it didn’t matter. The fact of the matter was, he was a new person and you liked this Jevil a whole lot more than the nasty one he was before. This kinder Jevil was always the Jevil you had wished he would have been when you first met. Of course, you would never tell him that for fear that he would revert back to his old ways. So, you kept it to yourself and enjoyed the change as you began writing once again.

_Now then, let’s get started._

You opened your textbook to the start of the first chapter and glanced over its contents before handing the book to Jevil. He seemed shocked to be handed such a thick book, but he took it and started to slowly flip through the book, skimming its contents.

“Frequencies? Magic?” He muttered mostly to himself before he looked up to you. “There is a lot. I thought Hands was just flailing with the hands, not listening to frequencies and using magic.”

 _To speak in Hands, you need to use magic._ Jevil gave you a sceptical look, which you ignored. _There is a lot to learning Hands. Which is why the first thing you should know it that there is an easy way and a slightly more difficult way to learn Hands._

“An easy way, huh?” Jevil hummed to himself, excitement colouring his face and making him smile like a child in a candy store as he handed back your note pad.

You payed him no attention and continued writing. _The easy way is all about linking magic and then listening to frequencies to hear what I am saying. The slightly harder way is not doing that and instead learning and reading hand signals._

Jevil set your note pad back on the table once he finished reading what you had to say, his eyes conveying his shock. “Linking magic? Isn’t that a little. . . .”

 _Personal? Yes._ You answered his question for him. _But it is by far, the easiest way to learn Hands without actually having to learn Hands._

Jevil closed his eyes, leaned back in the chair and put his hand to his chin in contemplation. Silence fell over the room as you let him think in peace. It was a tough decision to make, for sure. Linking magic was an extremely personal thing to do. For one, it was a permanent binding of magic, allowing the bounded parties to feel each other’s magic at all times. There were even rumours that linking magic with someone would cause you to fall in a bonded love with each other. Though there was no scientific evidence of this ever happening, but it was something most people were worried about when linking magic came into the conversation. You thought that it was nothing more than a rumour started to explain why certain folk fell so hard in love. Nothing more, nothing less. But there were Darkners out there who truly believed in the rumour mill. Which was why most of the time, only married couples or those planning on staying with their significant other for the rest of time, linked magic. Though there were some Darkners who performed the ritual just because they liked the rush they felt when linking and others did it because of medical reasons.

It wasn’t something that you wanted per say, but you were not object to linking magic if that was the route Jevil wanted to go. In all honesty, you probably should have been worried about linking magic. There were a lot of risks to performing the ritual. If it was performed wrong, the both of you could be badly hurt and need to go to the hospital. And that was saying nothing of being stuck with Jevil for the rest of your life. It was a big commitment that you just didn’t feel any significant feelings towards. If it happened, then it happened and if it didn’t, then it didn’t. You refused to get worked up like the rest of society. There was nothing to worry about. If anything, you were worried because it would be your first time ever doing the ritual and you were unsure how to go about it. You had read quite a few books on the subject but reading and doing where too very different things. You were inexperienced and your magic was weak. You shouldn’t be performing this ritual at all. But that wasn’t going to stop you should Jevil choose this path.

Jevil opened his eyes, leaned on his elbows on the table and stared you in the eyes. “Are you opposed to going the easy route?”

You shook your head before grabbing hold of your note pad once again and started writing. _Learning Hands the proper way, for lack of a better word, is really time consuming. You wouldn’t be anywhere close to fluent in the week we were given._

“Thanks for having faith in me.”

You held your hands in front of you and waved them back and forth. How that came out wasn’t what you had intended whatsoever. You didn’t mean to insult him. Of course, you had faith in him learning Hands. There was no denying that fact. But to be fluent in a week was impossible, even for the most astute of students. The language was complex and there were many gestures that meant many different things. Some gestures were even repeated but they meant completely different things. It was all about context. There was no way anyone could learn it in a week. What was Jevil thinking? No, it didn’t matter. The fact was, you had unintentionally insulted him. You had to apologize. More importantly, you had to explain why you said what you said. You grabbed your note pad and was about to get to writing when Jevil placed his hand on yours.

“Calm down, I’m just joking with you.” He said with a soft chuckle.

You sighed in relief.

“So, you really want to link magic with me?” Jevil asked, a sceptical look in his golden eyes.

You shrugged your shoulders. _What’s the worst that could happen?_

“Oh, you know, just you being stuck with a jackass for the rest of your life.” He gave you a small smile.

You laughed silently at his words. _You said it, not me._

“Heh. . . and what if you fall in love with these devilish good looks?” Jevil stuck his tongue out at you while he gave you a seductive pose wherein, he flexed the muscles of his arms.

You snorted at his words and antics all the while struggling to write due to laughter. _I won’t and besides that’s just a rumour. There is no evidence of that ever happening to anyone._

“Alright, Ms. Brave Girl.” Jevil mocked as he stood up. “Let’s do it.”

You took a deep breath to steady yourself as you stood up to meet him. It was as you were standing in front of Jevil that you realized just how much taller he was compared to you. You only came up to his chest and therefore had to look up to look him in the eyes. He looked down to you, his golden eyes searching your grey ones. A part of you wanted to shrink away from his intense stare. It was like he was staring into your soul. You wondered what he saw as you held you ground and returned his gaze. The two of you stayed like that for quite some time, just staring at each other like you had never seen each other before. Jevil was the first to move and break the trance he had lulled you into. He held up his right hand and you watched in awe as his hand started to glow a deep purple. You hadn’t even linked magic with him yet and already you could feel just how powerful his magic was. The sight alone had you awestruck. It took you a moment to finally break out of the stupor and return the gesture. Holding up your left hand, you placed it to his right. His magic, warm and strong, tingled against your bare palm. Taking a deep breath to steady your nerves, you allowed your magic to flow forth. Light blue magic coated your hand and when it touched his purple magic, there was a slight shock to you hand.

The feeling was slowly replaced with warmth as Jevil’s magic tentatively latched onto yours. Warmth soon spread through your entire body, leaving you feeling feverish and hot all over. You looked to Jevil to see if he was alright. His eyes were glued to your entwined hands and his face was flushed as little beads of sweat dotted his forehead. You wanted to ask if he was feeling the same way as you were, but you didn’t dare to break the silence. The hum of your entwined magic too beautiful to your ears to ruin. The sound like that of windchimes and bells swinging in the wind. You slowly turned your attention back to your hands and watched with curiosity and awe as the two-coloured magic blended together, creating a bluish-purple hue in-between your palms. The bluish-purple colour slowly crawled its way up both of your hands, leaving a fiery trail in its wake before retreating back to whence it came. Within moments, it was as if nothing had happened. His magic was back to being a solid colour of purple just as yours was back to being a light blue. The beautiful bluish-purple mixture was gone, its colourful remnants non-existent. You and Jevil were left panting in the wake of the aftermath. Jevil was the first to break contact. Slowly he took his palm form yours and soon the two of you were just standing there in awkward silence.

Had it worked? Were the two of you linked?

There was only one way to find out. You held up your hands and started to sign.

“Can you hear me?”

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

Oh, he could hear her alright. And she sounded so beautiful, like that of an angel. This was her frequency? This beautiful light and gentle sound? He could definitely get used to such a sound. Addicted even. Though he had to wonder how a mute person could sound so . . . he had no other words to describe it besides angelic. Had she always sounded like this and he never knew? Well that was a dumb question. Of course she had always sounded like this. He just never knew because he couldn’t speak or hear or whatever it was with Hands. Somehow, linking magic with her had allowed him to hear her. Though, she was still signing when she spoke. He still didn’t quite understand how any of that worked. But if he had known to link magic with her sooner, it would have saved them a ton of heartache and fights. Instead, he was left feeling like an idiot for treating her so badly. Maybe he should apologize to her for how he acted all those days ago. He rehearsed a simple ‘I’m sorry for being a jerk’ in his head but the words felt weird to him. Everything felt weird. Was she feeling the same way?

He looked down at her and felt a heat rush to his cheeks. She was so petite. Had she always been this small? He couldn’t recall. Her small frame fit the gentle voice she had though. God, he felt weird. It didn’t help that he couldn’t get the sound of her voice out of his head. He wanted to hear her speak again, just to really hear the different tones and sounds of her voice. That was probably really creepy, but he couldn’t help it. Something in him had changed or broken and now he was desperate for her to speak again. It was a while before he realized that he was just staring at her. It took him even longer for him to realize that she had asked him a question. A very important question. She had no clue that the kinking had worked and that he could hear her. She needed to know so that she would talk more. Jevil opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t find his voice. How ironic would it be that he became mute just as she found her voice, he thought. Very ironic.

“Did it not work?” She asked softly, cocking her head to the side.

“Uh . . . yeah . . .  no . . . I mean, yeah, I can hear you.” He stuttered like a fool. “Loud and clear.”

“Oh my goodness, it worked!” She exclaimed, her hands coming together with a little clap. “It really worked! And see? We didn’t fall in love.”

Right . . . he hadn’t fallen in love. At least that was what he kept telling himself. But if he were honest, he would have to say that he had fallen in love with the sound of her voice. Just hearing her speak made his heart race and his face burn like a thousand suns. Was that the same as being in love with her? He had to wonder. To be in love with someone, you had to know them pretty well. He didn’t know the girl pretty much at all. Though with the linking, it almost felt like he knew everything about her even though he knew nothing. But feeling as though he knew everything about her and actually knowing were two different things. If he didn’t know her well enough, then he couldn’t be in love with her. It was just that simple. Love at first sight didn’t exist. Jevil released a small sigh of relief. The linking hadn’t made him fall in love with her, thank goodness. It was nothing against her. He was sure she was lovely. But he was nowhere near prepared to be in love with someone. He still had a lot of things to work out with himself before he could properly dote on someone else. However, if she kept talking, he just might catch feelings for her.

“Are you okay?” She asked, breaking his train of unconscious thought. “You look far away.”

“I’m fine. I just have a lot of questions.”

“Well ask away and I’ll try my best to answer them.” She walked over to the counter and started fussing with the tea kettle for a bit before turning around to sign to him. “But first, would you like some tea?”

He was more of a coffee kind of guy, but he was not about to turn her kindness down. “Sure.”

She stared at him for a moment, her eyes showcasing the smile that he couldn’t see before she turned around and started making tea. So, this was what it was like to be linked with someone. It was a lot more different than what he had thought it would be. For one, he honestly believed that he would fall in love. He didn’t. He also believed that being linked would give him and the Harlequin mind reading abilities. He had read that from a blog post on the internet, but it obviously turned out to be a fake. So, if most of the rumours about linking were false, what was real? What did he get from being linked with the Harlequin besides the sweet ability to somehow hear what she signs and being tethered to her for the rest of his life? He looked down at his right hand. It still tingled from when he had linked magic with her. What's more, his body was still kind of feverish. It felt like he had a cold or something. His cheeks especially felt warm. And he could still hear the melodic hum from when their magic was linked. It was soft, but he could definitely still hear it.

“Your questions?” She asked before she brought a cup of tea and sat it in front of him.

“Right . . .” Jevil hesitated for a moment, not sure where he wanted to start. “Uh . . .so how is this working? How come I can hear you now?”

She was silent for a moment, almost like she was thinking about what to say. “To speak in Hands, it is required to use magic. As you can see when I sign, my hands are glowing. It is this magic that allows me to have a ‘voice’. But it is more like a sound is being projected into your head that translates what I’m saying.”

“Ah. . .” Jevil took a sip of his tea. It was much too hot, and it needed sugar. But he didn’t want to ask for any nor did he want to wait for it to cool down. “And this is permanent?”

“Yup, so long as we stay alive.” She gave him a strange look. “Are you having regrets?”

Was he feeling regret? He wasn’t sure. It wasn’t as if having this permanent translation was a bad thing. If anything, it saved him having to truly learn Hands, which was something he never really wanted to do. She even said that learning Hands was a hard and time-consuming task. As if he would want to do a hard and time-consuming task. But what did he know? For all he knew, this was probably the worst thing that he could have ever done to himself. Or to her for that matter. Whatever consequences for linking magic was, they were going to find out the hard way. Whatever. He supposed it didn’t matter. The deed was done and there was no going back. They were tethered together for the rest of their lives. Having regret, if he had any, was a waste of time. But there was one thing that he was sure about. And that was that she sounded a bit sad when she asked that question. For some reason, that bothered him a bit. Not the fact that she doubted him, but more so the fact that she was sad.

“No.” He finally responded.

“That’s good because we are kind of stuck together now.” She scratched at her mask as if she were nervous.

“Yup.” Jevil took a sip of his tea.

Silence fell over the room, the consequences of his hasty actions weighing over them both. No, he refused to see it like that. They were adults who chose to link magic. It was for a good cause. Well, at least he thought so. He looked over to the Harlequin. She had lifted up her mask just enough to sip at her tea. He was able to see her chin and a bit of her lips and was shocked. Just from the little he was able to see of her face, if she took the mask off, she would be beautiful. But he had to wonder, why the heck did she wear that mask in the first place? It did nothing for her besides make her look a bit sketchy. But would asking her be too insensitive? What if she was scared or something and she didn’t want to talk about it? He had never given it much thought before. But he had to know. He has been dying to know ever since he met her. And yeah, he had judged her first, but he has been curious. He had to ask. . . . he was going to ask.

“Why the mask?”

She looked shocked for a moment before setting her tea down and speaking. “A harlequin never shows their face.”

Well, that was true. Harlequins never showed their faces. But that was when they were performing, not when they were relaxing in their own homes. God, she made no sense. But he didn’t want to push the subject any further. She had clearly made up her mind not to tell him, and he was just going to have to deal with it. With the last sip of his tea, Jevil got up from the table and stretched his body. Almost instantly, his body started to tingle all over. He quickly stopped the movement and the tingling sensation quieted down. If he ignored the tingling, which he did, he noticed that his body was still feverish. It had been a little over 30 minutes since they had linked magic. Just how long were these side effects going to last? He looked over to the harlequin. She looked fine, like she wasn’t feeling any side effects at all. Well, maybe she was suffering but was just hiding it really well underneath that mask. If that was the case, then he didn’t want to overstay his welcome. Granted, he really didn’t want to leave for some reason he couldn’t quite describe. But she needed to rest just as much as he did.

“Did you want anything else?” She asked. “I have snacks.”

“Nah, I’m good.” He didn’t like turning her offer down, nor did he like that he was about to lie to her. “I . . uh. . .  have to get going.”

“Oh. . .okay.”

She sounded so disappointed even though she tried her best to hide it. Her disappointment made Jevil feel like shit. He wanted to stay and talk with her more, to hear her voice more. But even though he felt guilty for the suggestion of leaving, he had to go. He was feeling rather tired and he could see in her eyes that she was feeling tired too. Anymore conversing and they were bound to pass out in the kitchen. And though that would be a funny thing they could laugh about in the future, they needed to rest. Linking magic took a lot of energy.

 “Well, if you still want to continue learning Hands, feel free to come over. I’d be glad to continue teaching you.” She said.

Jevil could hear the shy smile in her voice and was lulled by it. “Yeah, I will.”

Silence fell over them once again as they just stood there and stared at each other. Jevil could feel his face burning once again as he looked at his petite partner. He really didn’t want to go, which was so strange to him. At first, he couldn’t stand her and now. . . well, he felt weird. No, he needed to leave less he do or think something that would make things even more awkward. It took a moment before he was able to peal his eyes away from her. Even longer for him to finally walk out of the kitchen and to the front door with her in tow. When he opened the door and stepped out of the apartment, he turned around and gave her one last look. The poor girl looked like she was about to pass out.

“Be careful on your way home.” She said while waving him goodbye.

“I will.” He smiled at her. “Have a good day.”

She nodded and he turned to leave, making sure not to look back. It was only when he was at the steps to go down to street level that he finally heard her close the door of her apartment. The soft sound of her door closing was finalizing everything. They had done it. They had linked their magic together and he was walking away from it like it was nothing. Well, not nothing. It was definitely something, he just didn’t know what it was yet. Because it was more than just a union of their magic, which he could still feel her week magic radiating through his body. It felt like something much more than that. Yes, it was possible that it was just the personal and invasive nature of linking magic that had him feeling this way. Or it could be the fact that his body was still tingling and feverish as if he had just finished linking, even though it had been almost an hour since the link. What was wrong with him? How long was he going to feel like this? What had linking done to him?

Jevil slowly walked down the steps of her apartment building and found himself instantly sucked into the crowd. Their incessant chatter broke his unconscious train of thought and forced him to pay attention to his surroundings for a moment. The harlequin lived in a nice area. Everything was clean and well lit, unlike the part of downtown where he lived. It was kind of weird not having to dodge potholes or empty beer glasses in the street. Even more, everyone was kind in this town. And chatty. Multiple times, he was stopped by someone just wanting to say hi and get to know him because they had never seen him before. He was not used to such chatty Darkners and really, he just wanted them to shut up and leave him alone. Their unnecessary talk made it difficult to think. And he had a lot to think about. For one, his head was starting to hurt and he didn’t know why. And second, his petite partner was on his mind. Was she feeling just as crappy as he was? Was this part of being linked with someone?

He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed he had made it downtown until he stepped in a giant puddle. Wetness seeped up his pant leg and down into his shoes. Jevil let out a frustrated swear. If he had been paying attention, he would have bypassed the puddle entirely instead of stepping in it like an idiot. Now he was wet, his body was sore and hot from a fever and what’s worse was he unable to get that girl out of his mind. What a combination. If only miracles existed, he would use one to get his mind back in the game. Instead he forced himself to stay focused through seer willpower alone as he navigated the narrow alleyways that led to his apartment complex. The tight maze-like alleys were claustrophobic inducing but he had been through them so many times before that going through them was like nothing. That didn’t mean that he liked them though. Quite the opposite, he hated these alleyways. But it was better to go through them than taking the main road because it was way too busy. Even busier than the little main street that Harlequin lived on.

Finally, the maze-like alleys came to an end and in the distance was his apartment building. Just seeing the dilapidated building made Jevil’s spirits rise once more. Yeah, he was still in a great deal of pain but he was one step closer to getting clean and going to sleep. Using magic because there was no way in hell he was going to climb all eight flights of steps, he teleported straight to his apartment door and went inside. His apartment looked foreign to him with how clean it still was. It kind of reminded him of Harlequin’s apartment with how spotless everything was. He hoped he could keep it that way as he made a beeline for the bathroom and hopped into the shower. The warm water did wonders for his aching body, taking the pain almost completely away. When he had finished and forced himself to leave the warm confines of the bathroom, he slipped into some comfortable clothes and went straight to bed. It felt like it had been forever since he had slept in his bed as most times, he just slept in front of the TV in the living room. He laid in bed for a moment before falling asleep, the soft hum of Harlequin’s magic lulling him to sleep faster than he had ever gone to sleep before in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 6. I am so sorry that it took me so long to get it to you guys. A bout of writer's block and burnout kept me from finishing everything on time. Due to that, I am moving this series to a bi-weekly schedule. It'll be much easier for me to keep it at a once every two week schedule than a weekly one. I hope you guys won't mind too much. With the new schedule, the next chapter will be out 06/22/2019
> 
> As always, if you want to read the latest chapter, it is out on my blog. Please feel free to visit, though do be kind as it is still in its infancy stages and there is not much there yet. Also, it would do me a solid if you would allow the ads on the blog to run should you happen to visit. They are not intrusive and will not make your computer run slow, I promise. This just keeps me from having to ask you guys for donations, which I don't wanna do :D
> 
>  **Here is the link to the blog**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com


	7. Twitterpated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two clowns preform for the king again, and to celebrate a job well done, they go on a day date

Jevil stood in his kitchen waiting for the microwave to finish nuking his breakfast. Today was the big day. Today, he and Harley were going to prove to the Spade King that they could work together and entertain his court. And unlike their first performance where he hadn’t been looking forward to the day, this time everything was different. He was looking forward to this show that he and his partner Harlequin had put together. It was so different from their first show. Very different. Mostly because they would be dancing, something he hasn’t done in a long time. But also, because this time, they were going to succeed and make the King proud. Their first performance hadn’t gone so well. Okay, it was horrible. Both he and Harlequin had acted rather childish to each other on that important day. And it was all because they . . .okay, he, hadn’t tried to get to know Harley at all. It was a horrible performance, one that he wasn’t sure they would live down. But for some reason the King gave them a second chance. And they took that second chance like their lives depended on it, which in his case it did, and they had been working on their teamwork ever since. Well, with a bit of poking and prodding from people they knew to finally start acting like adults. It started off rather rocky in the beginning but now?

The microwave beeped loudly, knocking Jevil out of his rumination. The sound was like that of a screaming banshee, it was so loud and jarring for such a quiet morning. Jevil opened the microwave door quickly just to get the noise to stop and carefully took his food out. Steam rose up from the well-nuked food, warming his face as the smell of strawberry oatmeal assaulted his nose. He carefully carried the hot bowl to the table and sat down. Taking a spoon full of oatmeal, he blew on it a bit before putting it in his mouth. It was still too hot despite him blowing on it and it burned the whole way down his throat as he quickly swallowed. He wanted to swear as he fanned his tongue. It would be that when he was in a hurry that his microwave would heat his food properly. He tried again, this time being extra careful. It worked in his favour as he no longer burned his mouth, but it wasted precious time. He only had an hour to get to the castle and then about thirty minutes after that to prepare the audience chamber with Harley. He needed to hurry.

Taking another spoon full of oatmeal and blowing on it thoroughly, Jevil put it in his mouth and chewed. So much had changed and in such a short amount of time. With a few Hands lessons and some routine practices under their belt, he and Harley had become fast friends. It was to the point that Jevil really didn’t mind Harley being his partner. He felt comfortable with her now. And yeah, they had linked their magic about a week ago and now they were stuck together for the rest of their lives, but he didn’t want to think that that had anything to do with how he felt about her. He wanted to look at the facts. Harley was good at what she did, fun to talk to and a damn fine teacher. It was thanks to her fantastic teaching skills that he was able to not only speak a little bit of Hands without the need for her to translate it but also to perform proper skits and little acrobatic acts, just like her. He wasn’t the best at them, but he could now at least do them. And he would have taught her some of his tricks but with her being unable to talk in a way the everyone could understand; it wasn’t as funny as it could be. But they worked around that limitation and now, they were more than prepared for their second chance performance. That wacky Spade King wasn’t going to know what hit him!

It took some time, but his oatmeal finally cooled down enough for him to polish it off and dump the dirty bowl in the sink. Not wanting to waste any more time, Jevil made his way to the front door and left his apartment. With a quick flick of his hand, he locked the door and then teleported down the eight flights of steps to street level. He turned to his left and made his way to Main Street, his destination not actually Main Street itself but the dimensional door located near the busy street. The path to Main Street was straightforward, no twists and turns through alleyways. In fact, there were no alleyways to walk through. It was just open space that stayed open until he got onto Main Street. Then it became a body filled nightmare. Hordes of Darkners littered the area, making it a chore and a half to even walk through the place. Luckily, he didn’t need to go far onto Main Street before he reached the dimensional door hiding in the one alley that he knew of that branched off of Main Street. He slipped out of the crowd once he found the alleyway he was looking for. It was dark and gross, littered with wasted beer bottles and food wrappers, like most alleyways in the downtown area. But he paid it no mind and immediately opened the door and stepped through.

Bright lights flashing every colour the eye could imagine and those the eye couldn’t, blinded him. Jevil shielded his eyes and started walking the straight path laid afront of him. The walk was short as within moments of stepping into the warp, he already found himself standing in front of the exit door. He opened the door and what greeted him was the smell of musk and woods. Red foliage and the sounds of chirping crickets that made the scarlet forest their home infiltrated his senses. Card Castle loomed above like an ominous cloud; the sight would have struck fear in anyone. But Jevil was so used to coming to the castle, that its foreboding atmosphere was nothing to him. Especially since he knew that the king was just wacky and not all that scary. He stepped from the dimensional door and made his way up the winding path to the giant castle looming ahead. Soon, he found himself standing in front of the guarded gates of the castle. The colourful Ruddins that guarded the gates let him in without so much as a word. Jevil was grateful for the silence as that allowed him to focus on the familiar magic that he could feel radiating from the castle. Harley was already inside. Jevil wondered how she got to the castle before him as he walked to the audience chamber, only coming to when he was standing in front of the audience chamber doors. He opened the giant doors and smiled when he saw her. She was fiddling with her boombox.

“Good morning.” He called out.

She stood up and turned around. If she was smiling, Jevil could only guess. The mask she always wore was firmly in place, allowing him to only see her gun metal grey eyes shining brightly behind the darkness of her mask. “Good morning. You ready for today?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” He walked up to her. “I still can’t believe you’re gonna have me dancing.”

Harley brought her hand to her mouth and silently laughed, her shoulders moving ever so slightly. “Well, at least it is not improv.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” He replied; his tone sarcastic.

“I learned from the best.”

She turned around and bent down over her boombox again. Jevil knew that she was smiling under that mask of hers now, he could hear it. The girl was cheeky when she wanted to be and if he were honest with himself, he loved it. There was something amazing about having someone who could keep up with him and his antics. Though he would never admit that out loud to her. She would never let him live it down. He could already hear her playful teasing in his mind, and he didn’t like it. Not one bit. No, instead he just kept his feelings to himself and bent down beside her in silence. He watched her shift through various CDs until she arrived on the one she was looking for. And though she didn’t say it, he could hear her little triumphant ‘aha’. It was in the way she looked at the CD. There was such triumph and ‘I did it’ in her grey eyes. Without a doubt, she was smiling underneath that mask of hers. It was cute. . . . Jevil caught himself, the urge to literally shake the thought out of his head was strong. He shouldn’t think of her like that. Well, at least he didn’t think he should. Should he? There was nothing wrong with her being cute per say, but. . . great, now he was confusing himself.

The sound of the back doors being opened, and the heavy footsteps of the king saved Jevil from his confusing thoughts. Harley and he watched with curious eyes as the King led his procession. In front was the giant king himself, stomping like he owned the place. . . . which he did. Behind him was his son, the fat boy looking silly with his tongue sticking out. And behind the boy was the King’s trusted adviser and official puzzle maker of the Dark World, Roulx Kaard. The trio walked onto the throne platform, each taking their respected seats. The King in the middle, his son on the right and Roulx Kaard on the left. The moment they sat in their seats, their eyes locked onto him and Harley. Their unwavering gaze was unnerving but Jevil refused to let it get to him. He needed to be as calm as possible if he wanted this performance to be flawless. After all, he was doing a dance routine. That was something he hasn’t done in a long time. The last time being when he was in school. But this was what Harley had suggested they do, and he allowed it because he had made her do something she was unfamiliar with for their first performance. It was only fair that he did something he was unfamiliar with. Though, Jevil didn’t reminisce on it for too long as he watched the King ready himself by taking a deep breath. Jevil prepared himself for the King’s booming voice to echo throughout the audience chamber.

“My dearest Jester and Harlequin, I hope that you have come up with a fantastic performance for me today.” The King finally spoke, his voice loud and grandiose.

“We have, your majesty.” Jevil tried his best to copy the King’s way of speaking, only to hurt his throat. “We hope that you enjoy this performance.”

Jevil watched as the King leaned back in his throne and interlaced his fingers together. Everything about his posture screamed that failure today was not an option. It was either do well or suffer the consequences. Whatever that was. Probably death, knowing the King. Jevil swallowed down his nerves. It had been a long time since he had been nervous to perform. He hadn’t such feelings since he was a teenager, performing for the first time. It was a bit jarring. But more than that, he didn’t want to lead Harley to her death. But he refused to let the feelings win over him as he reminded himself that he needed to stay calm. Feeling the effects of his new mantra, he went into position, his arms opened wide. Harley hit the play button on her boombox and quickly got into her position just in front of him, her arms held elegantly above her head. There was not a hint of nervousness in her as she stared him straight in the eyes. He was kind of envious of her. She was so used to dancing for others that this didn’t faze her in the slightest. If anything, she looked brave, confident and beautiful. Damn it, he shouldn’t be thinking like that now. Not right before such an important performance. Pushing the distracting thoughts away, he held her gaze. In it he could feel her reassurance and confidence radiating off of her and onto him.

The music then started to play, its slow seductive beat blasting all throughout the room. In time with the music, Harley twirled around him, her long dark hair like a vail that went around with her. Once she had made a full circle around him, she landed in his opened arms where he held her close for a brief moment before dipping her towards the ground. She wrapped her slender arms around his neck and fell with the slow motion. The position was a bit too seductive for him to handle. Especially after those thoughts he had of her just recently. His face was burning magma hot as he recalled the them. No! Now was not the time to think on it. He needed to bring her back up before the song changed pace. Slowly, he brought her back up, her back arching with the motion. The moment she was up and in her ready position, the music changed its pace to a more upbeat sound. Gone was the seductive first half and in came the happy second. Instantly the two of them were twirling and shaking their bodies to the jaunty beat. Every now and then between twirls, Jevil was able to sneak a quick peek at the King only to find that he had sat up in his throne and was smiling big. Feeling more confident about their routine, Jevil quickly got into a kneeling position with Harley following his lead and standing behind him. She placed her hand on his neck and pretended that he was a puppet. And with the change of the music into a rest break, began to act out the joke he was going to say.

“How many dancers does it take to change a light bulb?” Jevil did his best female voice, in hopes that the King would think that it was Harley talking and not him. He waited for the music to be ready before giving the corny delivery, his goal to count in time with the beat. “Five! … Six! … Seven! … Eight!”

On his final count, Harley helped him to feet just before the music went back to its jaunty ways and they went back to their dance routine. With a few more twirls they inched their way closer and closer to their grand finale. A great spectacle that they had worked hard to master. Following closely to the beat of the song, they inched their way into their finale positions. Harley was a few kilometres away from him, dancing to the song just as he was. When the mucis started to swell into its climax, she made sure he was ready before she took a running start towards him. He braced himself for the impact and when she was within reach, he took her by the waist and hoisted her up into the air. Holding her up high, he spun around slowly in an attempt to make it look like she was flying before he set her down and posed for the end of the song. Silence fell over the room, the only sounds Jevil could hear was the sound of his and Harley’s ragged breathing. They held their position as they waited for what felt like hours for the King’s verdict. The wait was excruciating and only served to make Jevil antsy. Had they succeeded? Had they failed? He didn’t want to wait any longer for the answer.

“Well done!” The King finally boomed as he started clapping.

“Yes, these worms did much better this time.” Roulx Kaard praised.

Jevil was the first to break the ending pose and bowed to the King. “Thank you.”

Jevil straightened back up and looked to Harley. She was looking at him, her eyes bright with excitement. He could tell she was beaming under that mask of hers. It was in her eyes. And her hidden smile was infectious as he found himself smiling back at her. They had done it. Everything had turned out flawlessly, not a single mistake was made, and the King had enjoyed their dance routine. The shared excitement was strong between the two of them, the feeling practically radiating off of their bodies and making the feeling of the audience chamber all the more wild. It took everything in his power to keep from giving the poor girl a back-breaking hug. He wanted to of course, because this was a cause for celebration. But he didn’t. Instead, he forced his attention back to the King. His majesty with his hulky body, had stood up from his throne and was beaming at them.

“Now then . . .” The King started. “Now that I know you two are capable, I’d like to extend an invitation for the two of you to move to the castle. As permanent entertainers.”

The excited feeling in Jevil vanished within seconds. He had forgotten that the point of pleasing the King with a performance was so that he would invite them to live in the castle. But the thing was, he didn’t want to live in the castle. He had a pretty great apartment . . .okay, it wasn’t all the great but it was his, damnit. He didn’t want to give that up. Plus, there was no way he wanted to live in the same place as the crazy King. Darkners called him crazy for a reason and Jevil had seen it first-hand. There was no way in hell Jevil wanted to share such close quarters with him. Concerned, he looked to Harley. She was positively beaming. Her eyes were sparkling bright with awe. With words unspoken, she told him everything. It was clear as day that she was willing to give up her nice home and make a new one in the castle. If only she knew just how crazy the King was, she would change her mind right then and there. But she didn’t know. And he had no way to tell her, at least, not right now. Jevil sighed softly. He didn’t want this, but he supposed that if Harley was into it, he could bear it.

“We’d love to, your majesty.” Jevil lied, the sound almost coming through.

“Good!” The King boomed as he clapped his hands together. “I’ll make the preparations for you. And on behalf of everyone here, welcome to the castle!”

The King turned his back to them, his navy-blue cape whipping behind him, and gathered his son and adviser before leading the way back out the doors they came. Jevil stared at the place where the King had stood, completely at a loss for words. Not even his thoughts made sense to him. He couldn’t believe what he had just done. What he had just said. Or what was going to happen. He was going to move into the castle and live with the King, his brat and all of their hired help. It was a lot to take in. Jevil didn’t know where to begin to unpack it all. The first feeling that finally registered was one of betrayal. He had betrayed himself. All this time, he had sworn to himself that he would never move to the castle or the small town that adjoined to the castle, called Card Town, for that matter. The King was crazy and the people of Card Town were snooty. He didn’t belong nor did he want to belong in either place. But now . . . He felt a soft tug on his arm and looked down to see Harley.

“I can’t believe it!” She signed excitedly, knocking him out of his reverie. “We are going to live in the castle! This is a dream come true!”

“You say that now, but you don’t know how crazy the King is.” His tone was ominous.

She cocked her head to the side, her question almost audible.

“He threatened to have me killed once. All because I didn’t want to do something he ordered me to do.” He said grimly. “And he was going to do it too, but I changed my tune and got back on his good side.”

She gave him a horrified look, her hands going up to where her mouth was, as if she were gasping. It sucked to have to tell her this kind of news. He didn’t want to ruin her perception of the King, because it was clear that she was naïve and saw the King as not-so-bad. But she needed to know just what danger she could be in if she ever decided to disobey the King in any way. Really, everyone needed to know just what kind of tyrannical madman was ruling their lands. And if he had the power, he would tell everyone. But he was just one Darkner, in a sea of many, only capable of telling those who would listen to him. And he hoped that Harley was listening to him and realizing just what danger she was putting herself in.

“That is terrifying.” She started slowly. “But I want to believe that we will be okay. I mean, so long as we stay together, we should be fine.”

“Yeah . . .yeah, you’re right.” Her positivity was endearing and had him changing his tone really quick. “Hey, why don’t we go celebrate our new promotion. Let’s go on a day date and walk around Card Town.”

“Card Town?” Her eyes brightened all over again, the previous sadness long gone. “Okay!”

Jevil led the way out the Audience Chamber, Harley following right behind him. Once in the main hallway, he took an immediate right turn and navigated his way to the back of the castle. The way was just as twisty and labyrinth-like as it was when trying to get to the Audience Chamber. It didn’t help that everything looked the same. The same dark wallpaper illuminated by the same light fixtures. At some points, Jevil was sure that even the pictures of various previous monarchy and flowers that decorated the walls were the same ones he saw just moments ago. He wouldn’t be surprised if that were true. All he knew was that he couldn’t wait to get out of these confined halls. His wish came true sooner than he thought it would as he saw the great door that led to Card Town. Opening the door and making a big show of his gentlemanly ways by bowing low and gesturing her in, he allowed Harley to go through first. Once she was through, he followed behind her only to stop just barely through the door as he nearly bumped into her. She had stopped just on the promenade and was looking at everything in complete awe. He couldn’t blame her, as what he saw was impressive.

Nestled in-between the forest and just below the castle esplanade sat Card Town, an almost monochrome yet quaint little village that was manned by the Darkners who were lucky enough to have been invited by the King to live in the castle. Adding a small splash of colour in the style of the four suits of cards were the tiny shops filled with various goods that lined the pathway. Their goods plastered in the windows and looking rather tempting, especially the food that he could just barely smell from the promenade. Just behind the shops were the many tiny monochrome villages filled with the fancy homes that the privileged Darkners owned. The modern looking homes were not nearly as colourful as the shops as they mostly stuck to a black and white colour palette. The homes reminded Jevil of the castle, and if he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that they were just extensions of the castle. But they weren’t. They were their own buildings, complete with every home necessity that one could dream of. Jevil had to give credit where it was due. The King, thought crazy, defiantly took good care of those he liked. And Jevil supposed that he and Harley would be a part of that exclusive crowd now. He looked to Harley. Her eyes were filled with awe and wonder as she stared down at the town.

“Have you never been here before?” He asked, genuinely curious.

“No. . . Never.” She signed slowly. “I didn’t know that such a place existed.”

“Well, you’re in for a treat.” He enthused as he led the way to the stairs that led down into the town. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

He went down the cobblestone stairs, Harley following excitedly after him. On the last step, he held his hand out for Harley and helped her down. It was unnecessary to do as the step wasn’t that high off the ground and she was doing a fine job keeping up with his pace. But they were on a day date and that alone had him feeling more chivalrous that usual. It was silly, even for him. But he could tell that Harley liked the treatment. The way her eyes just lit up for him every time he did something she wasn’t expecting had him feeling on top of the world. He wanted to keep it going. So, he held his arm out for her to take hold of. She did, making his face burn like that of a thousand suns. Over the moon. He was over the moon happy at the simple touch. It was weird that something so simple as linking arms with her made him feel so happy. But it did and he didn’t care that it was weird and possibly even stupid of him to feel such a way. He liked it and more than ever, he was already so glad that he decided to take her to Card Town.

Once ready, the two of them walked into town. Shops upon shops bombarded his senses. The main street was filled with various stores that were filled to the brim of colourful items. But what the main street lacked was the huge crowds of people. Compared to Downtown or heck, even Castle Town where Harley lived, there were barely any people here in Card Town. There were a few stragglers walking about, and of course the shopkeepers. But besides that, it was nice and quiet in Card Town. It was a breath of fresh air. Being able to actually see everything without a barrage of Darkners blocking the way. It was too good to be true. Jevil took advantage of the peace as he pointed out various shops to Harley. She was interested in every single shop he pointed out to her, stopping to look at each one’s wares before allowing him to pull her onward. It was really cute, Jevil had to admit. He was about to admonish himself for the unwarranted thought, but he stopped himself. Why deny what was true. She had cute tendencies. There was nothing wrong with noticing them. So long as he kept it to himself, things would be fine. He could notice how cute she was all he wanted.

“Jevil, are you alright?” She asked, knocking him out of his stupid thoughts.

He was grateful for the interruption. His thoughts were going too far in the realm of stupid for him to handle. Jevil looked down to his small partner. Her grey eyes were big and bright as she stared up at him. They were alluring and easy to get lost in. And he almost did get lost in them before he remembered that she had asked him a question. He almost didn’t want to answer her because he knew that he would have to lie in order to keep her from suspecting anything. Because something was wrong with him. Something was really wrong with him and he didn’t know how to fix it or even talk about it. All he knew was that ever since they had linked magic almost a week ago, he had been thinking of her in a different way than usual. And yeah, there was just the fact that their relationship had changed into a more friendly one. But there was something else to it. Something he didn’t know how to put into words, let alone even comprehend. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was starting to think that he had fallen in . . .

“Yeah . . . actually, are you hungry? Cause I’m starving.” He easily danced around her concern. “All that dancing really worked up an appetite.”

“Yeah, I could eat something.” She signed. “What is there to eat around here?”

“I have no clue.”

Jevil gave her a big smile to which she shook her head in mock disapproval before she took his arm again and let him lead her away. He had dodged a big one. But how long could he keep pretences up? It was only a matter of time before she noticed that he was acting weird. That he had a . . . . No, he didn’t want to think it for fear that the thought would make it true. He couldn’t have a crush on her. It was ridiculous. He didn’t know her like that. They were just good friends and partners in work. Nothing more. But man, did he want more. Jevil wanted to shake the intrusive thoughts out of his head like they were an actual object he could shake loose. What has gotten into him? He never thought of anyone like this before. All his life, he figured that love and being in love were things that were beyond him. Short one-time flings? Sure, he could do that. He could do that all day. But actually being in love and having intense feelings for someone? That was a whole new beast to him. One he didn’t know anything about. It made him feel stupid. Well, stupider than he already felt having linked magic with Harley and then falling in love with her. And after he promised himself that he would fall in love with her too. Damn.

His train of thought came to a halt as he found himself being led to a little burger joint. The smell of fattening slabs of meat was intoxicating and had Jevil drooling at the mouth. Harley shaking at his side caught his attention. He looked down to her only to see her silently laughing at him, her hand over where her mouth would be if she weren’t wearing that mask. He nudged her shoulder playfully with his elbow which only caused him to join her in laughter. Was this what having a crush on someone was supposed to be like? Randomly giggling like little twats over something silly? It wasn’t even that funny. He was just super hungry and the smell of burgers really got to him. Was that something to be laughing about? He wanted to reprimand himself. This was not the time nor the place to be overthinking things. He was on a date for goodness sake. He needed to be acting cool and collected, not like his usual foolish self. Not that he was trying to impress Harley or anything. God, he needed to stop thinking and just act. That would be his way from now on. No more thinking, just acting on impulse.

“Burgers okay?” He asked with a chuckle, fully implementing his acting and non-thinking strategy.

She nodded her head and happily walked with him to the burger stand. Standing in the window was a weird looking cat Darkner. The cat was practically vibrating in his spot at the register. What was wrong with this guy? He looked like he was about to explode from stress? Or was it nerves? Jevil couldn’t tell. All Jevil knew was that the cat Darkner needed some help. Mental help. Trying not to show just how much he didn’t want to talk to the guy in front of Harley, Jevil reluctantly went up to the counter to order.

“What can I get you two lovebirds?” The cat Darkner practically shouted at them. “All we sell are burgers and more burgers!”

“Two bur . . “ Then it dawned on him what the Darkner said. “Wait, we aren’t . . .”

“Two burgers, coming right up!”

The strung-out cat Darkner disappeared into he back, leaving Jevil and Harley alone. She had started up laughing again as Jevil looked at the spot where the cat Darkner once was in disbelief. Did they really look that much like a couple? He looked down his arm at the giggling Harley and  . . . yeah, they looked like a couple. A happy one at that. Jevil wasn’t sure if he should be excited and proud or concerned. On the one hand, they looked happy together. Which could only be a sign of better things to come. But on the other, they were not a couple. They were just friends. And he shouldn’t look too much into it, he reminded himself. So what if a moron thought they were together. He knew that they weren’t and so did Harley. If anything, this was a trick on the cat Darkner. Yeah. A trick. Jevil kept telling himself that as the cat Darkner came back with two burgers on a silver tray.

“Here you are, lovebirds!” The cat Darkner yelled at the top of his lungs. “Enjoy!”

“Thanks . . .” Jevil said slowly.

Harley let go of his arm, the lack of feeling her so close was a bit sad to him but he refused to let the feeling consume him. He refused, damnit! Pushing past the unwanted feeling, Jevil took the silver tray and lead the way to an empty table. Once he found one that was away from the few Darkners that were there, he set the tray down and pulled a chair out for Harley. He could tell she was smiling under that mask of hers as she signed a quick ‘thank you’, then she took her seat. Jevil followed after her, sitting in his seat just across from her. He handed her a burger and took the remaining one for himself, unwrapping it and taking a bite. The burger was actually pretty good despite it being just simple fast food. Or maybe he was just so hungry that anything would be delicious. He had no clue, but he didn’t want to think on it for too long and instead happily munched on his food.

“I can’t believe that soon we will be living in such a beautiful place.” She signed before lifting her mask just a bit and taking a bite of her burger.

Jevil swallowed before speaking. “Yeah. Even though the King is crazy, he takes care of his own.”

“That’s good. I was kind of worried that things would be . . .” She stopped signing for a moment, like she didn’t know how to put her words together. “. . . you know.”

“No need to worry. The King only goes crazy when someone doesn’t listen to him. You know how royals are. Up their own ass.”

Harley silently laughed at his words, her hand covering where her mouth would be.

“Besides, it’s as you said earlier. We’ll be fine because we’ll be together.” Jevil scratched at his head nervously, not sure if what he said was appropriate. Not wanting to seem too pushy, he quickly came up with something to cover his tracks. “I’ll show you the ropes to dealing with the King.”

“Really?” She looked hopeful.

“Yeah, why not.”

Thank goodness she didn’t seem to notice his rising nerves. Because he was feeling rather nervous all of a sudden. That whole ‘we’ll be together’ line of his had really messed him up. He hadn’t meant for it to come out the way it did. Like he was expecting them to end up as a couple or something. The thought alone had him feeling hot in the face again. And more than ever, he wished that he could see her face, to see her expressions that she kept hidden. Was she just as bothered as he was? Was she blushing or feeling nervous? He wanted to know, to see her truly. He wanted to know that he wasn’t alone in feeling this way. God, he hoped that he wasn’t alone in these feelings. He watched as she focused her attention on her food, his thoughts going wild. But how best to figure out her feelings? She was an enigma who just so happened to be an open book as well. It made no sense. She made no sense and he wanted to make sense of her. But how?

Then it dawned on him.

A proper date. One that was planned out and actually romantic or something. It was the perfect way to get to know her a little better and find out just how she feels. But was it right for him, as her friend, to ask her on a proper date? Did friends do that? No, he couldn’t overthink this or else he will never make the first move. He needed to be confident, cool and most important, not a complete dork. Taking a deep breath, Jevil let the first thing that came to his mind out.

“Um . . .”

“Yes?” She looked up at him, her intense stare made him loose his composure instantly.

“I uh. . . was just wondering if you were free tomorrow. . . you know, maybe you would like to go out and do something. . . .with me. . . I mean, only if you want to or something . . .” He was rambling. He needed to stop rambling.

“I’d love to. . . go out with you, I mean. . . well, I mean not ‘go out’ but . . .uh . . .” She stuttered.

Great, now they were both being awkward. This was going downhill real fast. He needed to do something. He needed to save this moment before it was ruined forever. This was his only chance to do this, he couldn’t afford to lose it.

“No, I mean. . . “ He took a deep calming breath. “Will you go out with me tomorrow, is what I meant to ask.”

“Yes, is what I meant to say.” She signed, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Great!” He was too excited, so he dialled it back down to something more reasonable and serious. He needed to set the one rule he had. “I mean, that’s great. Though there is just one thing.

“What is it?” She cocked her head to the side with her question.

“I’m tired of being the only one who’s expressions are out on full view. . . I want to see you, the real you.” Jevil scratched at his head nervously. “Could you not wear your mask tomorrow?”

She seemed hesitant at first but then she nodded her head.

“Great! Then I’ll pick you up around noon.” He said as he started cleaning up their little area.

“Alright.”

Jevil got up and went to the trashcan, the urge to scream his excitement was strong. He was going on a date. A real date. Not one of those quick fling dates that he was so used to, but a real date with someone who was important to him. Over the moon. He was over the moon happy once again. That was twice in one day. Anymore and he was bound to explode from being overjoyed. He looked back at Harley who had gotten up from her chair and was looking his direction. He smiled back at her, unable to do much of anything else because he was still in shock at what had just happened. It was unbelievable. He was going on a real date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 7. I'm sorry for creating a place that doesn't exist in the game. Hopefully, you guys won't be too mad. But with the game not being finished, and me needed more areas for the two clowns to go on dates to . . .well, you can see my problem. I tried my best to keep it in line with the game itself. As always, feel free to leave me feedback.
> 
> Also, if you want to read the latest chapter, it is out on my blog. Please feel free to visit, though do be kind as it is still in its infancy stages and there is not much there yet. Also, it would do me a solid if you would allow the ads on the blog to run should you happen to visit. They are not intrusive and will not make your computer run slow, I promise. This just keeps me from having to ask you guys for donations, which I don't wanna do :D
> 
>  **Here is the link to the blog**  
>  http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com


	8. Tryst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jevil and Harley go on their first date

You ran from one end of your room to the other, in a complete tizzy as you tried to find some decent clothes to wear for your date with Jevil. Just thinking of the word ‘date’ had your face burning all the while you tossed dress after dress onto your bed. Never in a million years would you have guessed that you would go on a date, let alone with Jevil. You didn’t think that he liked you like that. So, when he had asked you out yesterday, you had nearly died with excitement. You had been so happy that he had asked that you had stumbled over your words and made yourself look like a fool for a moment. Luckily, you were not alone in looking like a shy little fool as Jevil had been stuttering and rambling in his proposal. It was a side of him that you never thought you would see. It was cute, which was not the first time you thought that of him as of late. But his cuteness didn’t last long as he regained his composure and bravery and asked you out for real. The look he had given you was intense, making him look more handsome than usual. It had been exciting and unexpected that you couldn’t help but say yes to his proposal.

The only thing was, you had never been on a date. You had been close to going on one in college, but he had stood you up to be with another girl. The horrific experience was scarring to say the least. You had never quite recovered from that embarrassment and inadvertently vowed to never go on a date again in hopes to never feel that kind of pain ever again. But you hadn’t thought of that painful day when Jevil asked you out. Something about the way he looked at you when he asked you out for real made you believe that he would not hurt you in that kind of manner. That alone gave you hope for today, that you were in for something magical. It was just a shame that you had no clue what you were doing or what to wear for that matter. Nothing you owned looked right for a date. It was either your colourful work clothes or your rare casual clothes that mostly consisted of shorts and t-shirts. You had very few dresses, but the ones you did have where just . . .too formal.

 You looked over to your bed. The poor thing was covered in a mound of clothes, the heap looking like a small mountain of fabrics and colours. It was going to be a chore and a half to clean it up, you thought as you went to small heap. Starting with one outfit, you put it back in its place in the closet before going for the next set of clothes. You couldn’t believe that you didn’t have a single casual dress to wear for a date. It was baffling as you were sure you had at least one, thanks to your mother. Maybe you had donated it? It wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility. You tended to donate things you no longer used in order to keep your home from getting cluttered. Your one and only casual dress might have ended up in your donation pile. Which was a shame because now you had nothing to wear for your date with Jevil. You were about to put one of your outfits away when your eyes landed on a casual dress. It was a cute little white dress, printed with yellow summer flowers. You looked at it with scrutiny. How you had missed it, you had no clue. But it was everything you were looking for. It was casual, airy and cute. Perfect for a date.

You picked up the dress and immediately went to go put it on. Once you had the garment on, you looked at yourself in the mirror. It had been a long time since you had seen yourself in something other than your work attire. You looked foreign to yourself, but you liked it. The bright white and yellow hues of the dress brought out your dark skin complexion. And the way your dark hair flowed down your back in rivulets had you looking ethereal. Again, it was foreign but not unwelcome. But even more foreign was that you were able to see your face, unobscured. Not that you hadn’t ever seen your face unmasked before, but it was rare. You were always working that you just kept your mask on all the time, staying in character. But with it off, you were able to see everything. Every soft angle and contour of your face. Grey eyes sharply combed over your outfit and body before landing back on your face. No one has ever seen your face, barring your parents. And a part of you wanted to keep it that way. There was no need for anyone to see you. They just needed to see your performance. But Jevil wanted to see you. And at first, you had thought it really sweet of him. But as time when on, you became more and more scared. You weren’t ready to show someone what you looked like. Even more, a certain plaguing thought just wouldn’t leave your mind. What if he didn’t like what he saw?

Just then, you heard a knock on your front door. You looked at your clock only to find that it was five minutes before noon. That only meant one thing. It was Jevil, come to pick you up for your date. Your mind was reeling, that horrid question stuck on repeat in your head. In a bit of a panic, you grabbed your purse and before leaving the room, you looked at yourself for a moment. You thought yourself beautiful and you didn’t have body image issues, at least not that you were aware. However, you were shy to show yourself to others. You thought hard on the issue. Were you really about to show Jevil your face? Could you really do this, you thought. After a moment, you finally reached your decision. Showing your face to him was a chance you just were not ready to take. He would be upset for sure, but you just were not comfortable with the idea of him seeing you. Not yet. Quickly, you grabbed your mask and put it on before leaving your room and going to the front door. You took a calming breath and opened the door. Jevil stood in the doorway, his black leather jacket just barely hiding his black and white band logo t-shirt. In his hands was a single beautiful orange-yellow rose. When he saw you, his golden coloured eyes brightened up and he smiled. Your face burned at the sight.

“Sup.” He said nonchalantly as he held out the rose to you.

You waved at him before you took the rose and breathed in its scent. The flower smelt heavenly; the sweet fragrance was strong. But not strong enough to hide the fact that the flower had sat inside Jevil’s jacket as you got small whiffs of his musky cologne when sniffing the flower. You loved the rich smell his cologne gave to the flower. Even more, you loved the scent he was wearing. It was subtle and gentle on the nose. You couldn’t get enough of the scent. Just to get another whiff of him, you pretended to sniff the flower again, all the while drinking in his scent.

“You like it?”

You nodded your head shyly, embarrassed that you were more sniffing him than the flower.

“Good.” He smiled triumphantly.

You silently giggled at his silly display of pride before ushering him inside the apartment. He came in as you went to the kitchen to find a vase to put your flower in. You rummaged around for a bit before you felt eyes on you. Turning just slightly, you saw that Jevil had followed you into the kitchen and was staring at you intently as you moved about the kitchen. Your face burned with the intensity of a thousand suns. Just what was he thinking as he watched you? You didn’t know, nor did you know how to feel with his full attention on you like that and so you turned back to finding a vase for your flower. Looking in every cabinet, you finally found your one and only sender vase sitting on the topmost shelf of one of your higher cabinets. You pouted and cursed your short stature as you realized that you would not be able to reach it without some sort of help. You looked around. Your step stool was nowhere to be found and you didn’t have time to properly look for it. Then you smelt him, his cologne giving him away as he moved in behind you. His big body cocooning around you, dwarfing you instantly and having you feeling oddly safe. You pushed those weird thoughts out and turned your head to see Jevil reaching up for the vase. With his much taller stature, he was able to get the vase down with no trouble.

“Here you are.” He placed the vase in your hand.

You were suddenly grateful that he could not see your face as it felt like hot magma while you clumsily signed. “Thank you.”

The two of you stood like that for a moment, each heated second causing your heart to beat faster and faster in anticipation. What you were anticipating, you weren’t sure. Maybe a romantic hug? Or maybe him telling you how he truly felt about you? But then he stepped away, taking that safe feeling you had, with him. You weren’t going to deny that you were a bit disappointed, but at the same time, you should not have expected too much from him. The two of you were only friends, even though you were going on a date with him. You sighed softly, letting the confusion that you were feeling take over for just a moment. The fact of the matter was you were wanting too much, too soon. Feeling embarrassed for your silliness and not wanting to think about it anymore, you went to the sink and filled the vase with water before placing the flower in. You then went to the kitchen table and set the vase in the centre. Admiring your work, you clapped you hands together and looked at Jevil.

“Nice.” He gave you a thumbs up. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah.” You signed as you and Jevil walked to your front door. “So, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Jevil opened the door for you, allowing you to exit your apartment first before following after you. Once outside in the temperate heat, you and Jevil went down the stairs that led to the busy street below. Before you stepped off the final step, Jevil held his hand out for you to take. The gesture reminded you of his sweet actions yesterday during your day date to Card Town. Your face burned at the memories. But you took hold of his hand and let him lead you into the crowd. The two of you walked in silence as the hoard of Darkners around you made a ruckus. The noise of the crowd had you longing to be back in the quiet of Card Town. You missed how everything in Card Town was quieter and less busy. Every second that you had to be in the chaos of the crowd made you so grateful for holding Jevil’s hand. Without him holding you close; you were sure that you would have lost him in the crowd. Yes, it made talking to him a difficult, with all the noise and the fact that one hand was busy holding his. But you saw the opportunity perfect to examine your surroundings and figure out where he was taking you.

The main street of Castle Town was the same as it had always been. Busy with Darkners and filled to the brim with shops selling various things. It was nothing new. But what was new was where Jevil was leading you. He had taken a couple turns off the regular path and, in some instances, he had you walking down alleyways that you had no clue even existed. It was like this for minuets on end. The twists and turns had you lost in a place you thought you were familiar with. It was then that the main street melted away, opening up to a barren place decorated with balloons and pictures of familiar mascot characters. Then, you saw it. A massive archway made of green shrubbery. On the sides of the archway were bundles of colourful balloons. Hanging on the arch was a sign, welcoming Darkners to the amusement park. Smells of sugary Fairy Floss and buttered pretzels assaulted your nose while your ears picked up on the screams and laughter coming from inside. The closer you got to the archway, the stronger the sounds and smells became.

“Welcome to the happiest place in all the Dark World.” Jevil spoke now that he was able to be heard.

You excitedly slipped your hand away just enough so you could sign. “Oh my gosh! This is my first time ever coming here.”

“Really?” Jevil gave you an incredulous look which made you look away shyly. “How? How have you never been here when every Darkner has been here at least once in their lifetime.”

“I’ve been so busy working that I’ve never had the time to visit.” You pouted.

Finally admitting that you have never had a proper vacation was a bit embarrassing. Not helping was the incredulous look Jevil was giving you. It wasn’t something you were proud of. Not in the slightest. But it was the truth and you couldn’t shy away from it. You have been so busy trying to make your dreams of performing come true, that you neglected your mental and physical health at times by not taking a break. It was something that your parents hated that you were doing to yourself. And though you knew they hated it, and you hated it too, you didn’t stop. You kept working yourself to exhaustion, only to bounce back into action after a few hours of sleep and do it all over again. It was something that you had hoped to change about yourself. And now that things were looking up between you and Jevil, you suspected that it would.

“’I’ve been busy’ she says.” Jevil playfully mocked, making you silently giggle at his silly antics.

“I have!” Your giggling made it difficult, but you finally managed to sign back to him.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say Ms Busy Body.”

Jevil smiled at you, his big grin showcasing sharp teeth. He then took hold of your hand, not allowing you to sign your retort, and led you towards the amusement park entrance. The line to the grey entrance booths was surprisingly short this time of day, allowing you and Jevil to get to the front of the ticket line with relative ease. Behind the ticket booth were two young giggling female darkners. When you and Jevil came up to the booth, their soft giggles came to a halt. Their eyes quickly scanned you, looking unimpressed before they went to Jevil. Both girl’s eyes lingered on him for a while, all the while, their faces lighting up like Christmas lights. Their interest in Jevil was so obvious, and they weren’t trying to hide it at all. Their hands fussed their hair as they tried to make themselves more presentable and pleasing to the eye. It was a moment before one of the girls finally cleared her throat and spoke.

“How many in your party?” She looked to Jevil and bated her big brown eyes lovingly.

“Two.” He responded, pulling you closer to him.

Your face burned at the sudden display of ownership. However, his display didn’t deter her from her flirting.

“Right, two tickets coming right up.” She bated her eyes a bit more before she sashayed away, making a bit emphasis on her hips.

You were about to say something to Jevil when you noticed the second girl just staring at him. Everything about her screamed that she was interested in him. But unlike the other girl, who was very confident in herself and her body, this girl was a bit more reserved. She wasn’t going to sashay about the ticket booth. No, she was more the type to just stare at what or who she wanted. Looking at her, nothing about her stood out unlike the other girl. And though she was cute just like the other girl, it was clear that she was overshadowed by the other more confident girl. Curious to see if he was noticing what you were, you snuck a peek at Jevil. He was staring at you, his eyes never once wavering from you. Face burning uncontrollably, you turned your attention back to the shy girl. She saw you staring at her and adverted her eyes just in time for the other girl to sashay back to the front of the booth, tickets in hand. You studied the confident girl a bit and noticed that she had put on some lip gloss and unbuttoned a few of the buttons to her shirt to show off her cleavage.

“Here you are, these will get you on any ride you want in the park.” The girl handed the tickets over to Jevil before beginning to twirl her hair around her finger.

“Thanks.”

Jevil handed you a ticket before gently guiding you towards the park. Once out of earshot of the girls, you finally signed what you had been wanting to say.

“They were interested in you.”

“No they weren’t.” Jevil said with a chuckle.

“Yes they were. Did you not see how they were ogling you?” You asked, genuinely curious.

“Nope.” He said matter of factly. “I was busy.”

Then it dawned on you that he was busy. Busy staring at you. Your face burned red hot at the realization. Whether Jevil knew that you knew he had been staring at you during that whole ordeal, you didn’t know. But you were not about to let your secret out and instead just let the conversation drop, not wanting to ruin the nice atmosphere. The two of you walked in comfortable silence through the green archway and into the colour park itself. Various rides with their long lines littered the park. Everything was there, from marry-go-rounds to high-octane thrill rides and everything in-between. The park had it all. Intermixed with the rides were attractions offering prizes ranging from toys to shirts. And in-between those were colourful food stalls selling delicious smelling foods and candies. It was so much to take in that you were whipping your head back and forth to look at it all. You felt like a child unsupervised in a candy store, you were so overwhelmed and excited. Then you heard Jevil chuckle, the sound making you whip around to see him.

“What?” You signed.

“Nothing.” He chuckled. “So, what do you want to do first?”

You ignored the fact that he was still laughing at you and instead turned to look around the park. There were so many rides to choose from that you didn’t know where to begin. Then there were also the mini game attractions and the possibility of winning a prize. Everything sounded like so much fun that you wanted to do everything all at once. There was just so much! Then you saw it. A green and black machine called The Whirler. It was a giant mechanism that had three prongs on the top the split out into three separate seats each. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what the thing did when turned on. It was in the title of the machine. And you wanted to ride it. Badly. Yeah, it wasn’t one of those super high-octane rides like the ones around it. But that was okay. You didn’t need the super high-octane excitement the more wild rides provided. You wouldn’t be able to handle it anyway. The Whirler was more than enough excitement for you.

“That one.” You then pointed towards The Whirler.

Jevil turned to see where you were pointing before he turned back to you and gave you a huge smile, excitement radiating off of him in waves. “Let’s do it.”

He then took hold of your hand and led the way through the crowd. The walk to The Whirler was short. Even shorter than that was the wait to get on the ride. It wasn’t that long at all and soon, you found yourself being strapped in your seat next to Jevil. The two of you looked to each other in excitement as the green and black machine creaked to life. It started off slow, twirling the seats in a methodical rhythm. Gradually, it started going faster and faster. Soon it was going so fast that you thought you would lose your mask in the wind. However, that didn’t stop you from putting your arms in the air and silently screaming your heart out along with everyone else who were screaming their joy. Round and round the machine spun you. Your hair whipped wildly behind you in the wind. Too soon, the ride slowly came to an end. You were a little disappointed that it was over already. It had been so exhilarating to feel the wind whip around you like that. You unlatched yourself from the seat and hopped down. When Jevil didn’t follow, you looked up only to see him looking pale in his seat.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah . . . that was just a bit more wild than what I was expecting.” He said as he got out of his seat.

“I didn’t know you couldn’t handle rides like this.” You said as you went over to him. “You should have said something; I would have chosen something else.”

“I can handle rides like these, thank you very much.” He said as he tried to regain his composure by taking a deep breath.

You gave him an incredulous look before you started giggling at him, his reluctance to admit the truth and instead putting on a brave face being funny to you.

“Be quiet. I know you’re laughing.” He playfully fussed. He then started leading the way back out to the busy main road. “I just need a break is all.”

“Right.” You tried to stifle your silent giggles but failed.

“Keep it up and I won’t win you one of those giant platypus stuffed animals over there.”

You looked to where he was pointing as saw the cutest platypus toys ever. Their eyes were so huge in their heads and everything about them screamed pluffy and fun to snuggle. They were held over a ring-toss mini-game booth. The game itself looked easy enough but you knew that actually getting the ring over the bottle required a lot of skill. Skill you didn’t have. Especially not to get thirty point which was required in order to win the platypus toy. That was a lot of points. It made you wonder if Jevil really could win you the stuffed animal.

“You’re going to win me one of those?” You asked sceptical.

“Only if you stop being sassy.” Jevil teased as he started walking over to the booth with the platypus toys.

“Alright, alright.” You held your hands up in playful defence “I’ll stop picking on you.”

You followed after him to the booth and stood at his side once in front of the game. The mini-game booth was dark inside, barring the actual ring toss mini-game itself, which was illuminated just a bit so the player could see. Most of the vibrant colour was on the outside of the booth and from the giant stuffed animals that hung up above. The pins to the game were lined up in neat little rows, the top row went for the most points being ten, while the bottom rows went for less being five and below. Standing inside the booth, there was a small old Darkner who reminded you quite of a bit of Seam. Just something about him screamed friendly and quirky. He smiled when the two of you stepped up.

“The game’s simple.” The old darkner spoke, his thick accent making his words slur. “Just git the most points without usin’ any magics’ and ya win. Ya game?”

“Hell yeah.” Jevil flashed his ticket.

“Good on ya, boy.” The old darkner handed Jevil three rings and then stepped aside. “Ahn good luck.”

The lights for the game fully came on while carnival music started to play a jaunty tune. Jevil didn’t seem phased by the sudden bombardment of noise and sights as he aimed the ring for his target. You held your breath as he tossed the ring. It was only when you heard a little chime go off and saw that the ring had made its target that you released your held breath. You were about to celebrate his success at hitting one of the top row’s pins but stopped yourself as he readied himself and began to aim, once again going for a pin at the top. He tossed it and the chime went off yet again, signalling that he hit his mark. You were starting to get really excited now. That was twenty points that he had gotten. All he needed was ten more and the platypus was won. You held you hands to your mouth and silently cheered him on. Jevil readied himself again and took aim. He took a deep breath and then tossed the ring. The chime went off again as the lights that illuminated the pins started to flash wildly.

“Oh my gosh, you did it!” You went and gave him a tight hug. “You were amazing!”

Jevil chuckled as he scratched at his head shyly, his face turning a light shade of red. “Thanks.”

The two of you watched as the old darkner got down one of the giant platypus stuffed animals. He was about to hand the toy over to Jevil but Jevil pointed at you and the old darkner handed it to you. The stuffed animal was almost the size of you, the thing coming up just a little past your waist. You had to imaging yourself looking a bit silly holding a toy almost the size of you, but that didn’t stop you. You hugged the stuffed animal tight before looking at Jevil. He was looking at you with a smile on his face and his golden eyes soft. You wanted to know what he was thinking so badly. But you didn’t know how to ask him. Especially with you holding your new platypus. You smiled back at him and let your curiosity go, opting instead to just thank him for doing this for you. You knew that he didn’t have to go so far and beyond for you. After all, the two of you were just friends. But he did and you couldn’t not show your appreciation.

“Thank you.” You clumsily signed, your heart beating fast as you shyly looked at him.

“No problem.” He shrugged, trying his best to look cool. “Let’s go get some food. I’ve worked up an appetite and the fairy floss is calling my name. It’s going ‘Jevil~ Jevil~.’”

You silently laughed as you struggled to sign due to your new toy. “Fairy floss is not food.”

“It is when you’re hungry and craving sweets.”

He placed his hand on your lower back and guided you through the crowd to the colourful pink and blue fairy floss station. The walk wasn’t so bad even though it was long, though now your feet were starting to get a bit tired. As were you. The day had been jammed packed with excitement and you were starting to feel the effects of it all wearing on you. However, the faint smells of food perked you right back up a bit. The smell of confectionate sugar filled the air, mixing with the buttery scent of popcorn and pretzels. It smelled so good. And the scent only got stronger the closer you got to the many food stalls.

“You wait here, I’ll be back with the candy.” Jevil spoke as he pointed to where he would be.

You nodded your head and watched him walk off to the stall. Looking around, you noticed a few empty tables. You set off for one and placed your platypus down in one of the chairs before sitting down yourself. You sighed now that you were finally off your sore feet. A part of you envied the children that were walking around the park with no issues. They were so full of energy and though you were too, you were sure that their feet were not hurting like yours were. You smiled at the thought. Your parents had always said that when you get older, you start to envy the children and their youthful ways. You thought it was just a joke, but now you see that it was the truth. It was just so odd because you exhorted yourself much more than what you were doing today. And yet, you found yourself tired. Maybe it was the adrenaline from The Whirler that was now just wearing off. Who knew? You looked up and saw that Jevil was making his way to where you were sitting, two colourful fairy floss bundles in his hands.

“So, are you enjoying yourself?” He asked as he handed you the red and pink bundle, keeping the all purple one for himself.

You nodded your head eagerly. “Are you?”

“Yup.” He took a bite of his candy. “This is the most fun I’ve had ever on a date.”

 “Are your dates usually boring?” You asked, partly playing and partly curious.

“Let’s just say that my usual dates, are not dates.” He chuckled darkly.

You were utterly confused. What did he mean that his usual dates were not dates? If they weren’t dates, then what were they? You didn’t have the heart to ask, just in case it was something you didn’t want or need to know. Instead, you focused on eating your candy. It was delicious and tasted like berries, but your mind was still a bit stuck on what Jevil had said. You looked up and saw that he could see your concern, though you tried your best to hide it, and quickly swallowed his candy so he could speak.

“Don’t worry about it. Just know it’s not something I’m proud of.” He took another bite of his candy. “Tell me, have you been on a date before? You seemed a bit hesitant when I asked you out yesterday, like you didn’t know what to say or do.”

Embarrassed to having to admit to it, you shook your head.

“Ah, so I’m your first. That makes me pretty proud.” He smiled. “Am I doing a good job so far?”

You nodded your head. “Yes, I think you are.”

“That’s good.” He took the last bite of his candy. “Maybe then we can do this again sometime.”

“I would love that.” You signed with a giggle

You took the last bite of your candy and before you could get up to throw your trash away, the cone of the candy started to glow a soft purple. The little white cone floated over to the trashcan with ease, followed behind it was another similar looking white cone. You looked to Jevil only to see him using his magic to throw away both yours and his trash.

“I didn’t feel like walking over there.” He admitted.

“So lazy.” You teased. “Come on, I’ve gotten my second wind, let’s go walk the park.”

“Ugh, she’s gonna make me walk.” He playfully whined. “Wait, before we go, let me send your stuffed animal home so you don’t have to carry it.”

He placed a purple magic seal on your platypus and instantly, the platypus disappeared into the ether. You had expected him to get up once the platypus had been delivered home. But instead, he stayed seated. You playfully tugged on his arm, pulling him to his feet. He got up with a playful groan, but you ignored it and pulled him along. He eventually stopped fighting you and started walking on his own, but you still held onto him as you walked. Your destination was unknown, mostly because you had no clue where you were going, but that didn’t stop you from walking around the park like you knew the place. You passed by various attractions, including the haunted house and bumper cars, all without stopping a moment. None of them interested you, not after the magic that was The Whirler. Plus, you were being considerate of Jevil and his weak stomach. It felt like hours that you walked, you were sure that you had walked the whole park at least once over. Your feet certainly felt like you had walked the whole park. But you refused to stop. Surely there was something that would catch your eyes. You scanned every little thing in complete awe and wonder until you spotted the most wonderful thing you could have ever seen. Looming over everything with its lights flashing brightly in a slow rhythm was a giant ferris wheel. Instantly, your mind imagined what it would be like to be at the very top. How close you would be to the faux stars that dotted the ceiling. How everything would look like tiny ants as you looked from the top.

“You wanna ride that?” Jevil asked, pulling you out of your thoughts.

You nodded you head. “Do you?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you handle it?” You teased.

Jevil shot you a playful yet annoyed look before taking the lead and walking towards the ferris wheel. You stifled your giggles and let him lead the way. The walk was short but the line for the giant wheel was long, which you expected. It was definitely the main attraction of the whole park. What you didn’t expect were the hoards of couples in line for the ferris wheel. There were so many, each holding the hand of their significant other and looking lovingly into each other’s eyes. Feeling like you didn’t belong, you looked down and noticed that Jevil was still holding your hand. Without a doubt, everyone around would think the two of you were a couple. It was embarrassing. You had no clue the ferris wheel was such a popular romantic spot. If you had known . . .you looked to Jevil and felt your face burn once again. He was so handsome as he looked to the ferris wheel, unknowing of you sneaking a peek at him. You were blessed to have him as a friend, even more so to be able to go on a date with him. He had been so gentle and kind to you. That alone made you not regret a single thing about this situation.

After a few long minutes, the two of you finally were able to board the ferris wheel. You sat across from Jevil in the cramped pod and looked out the window while waiting patiently for the ferris wheel to move. Slowly the machine whirred to life and you saw your pod go higher and higher into the sky. Before you knew it, your pod was at the very top. The sight was exactly what you had imaged it would be like. The faux stars that decorated the cavern ceiling were so close that you could touch them. Their gentle twinkles indicating night-time. And below, everything and everyone looked like small ants bustling to their nest. The lights of the park and of the Castle Town were too gorgeous. It was the most beautiful thing you could have ever seen. It was no wonder many couple came to the ferris wheel. It was a romantic sight to see.

“It’s so beautiful.” You signed slowly and in awe.

“Yeah, you are.”

You turned to Jevil, confused by what he had just said, only to see him staring at you and not out the window.

“There is just one problem, and it has been bugging me this whole time.” He started. “I remember asking you not to wear the mask. I was going to let it slide because maybe you’re shy or something, but I can’t anymore.”

Your face felt like molten magma as Jevil inched closer to you. Once he was in front of you and so close that he could kiss you, his hands went straight to your mask. A part of you wanted to stop him. You still were not ready to show him your face. But you didn’t stop him because you had somewhat promised him that you wouldn’t wear it. Slowly he removed your mask and placed it on your lap. You held onto the plastic mask like your life depended on it. There was a strong urge within you to put it back on, but you ignored it. You needed to be brave and face this moment. It was going to happen regardless. There was no way you could keep hiding from Jevil. With your face exposed to him, you looked him in the eyes. What you saw in his golden eyes surprised you. Instead of disappointment or disgust, what you saw you could only equate to . . .love at first sight.

“My god, you are beautiful.” He whispered, his hand going to your cheek. “And you hide yourself again, why?”

“I . . .uh. . . “ Your fingers stumbled over the words you wanted to say. You were unable to think straight. He was so close and the look in his eyes screamed that he wanted to kiss you. And you wanted him to. But then you remembered that he had asked you a question. “Character. . .”

“Yeah, no more of that please.” He leaned in even closer, his lips just barely touching yours. “At least not in front of me.”

You nodded your head slowly and just as you were about to lean in and kiss him, the pod door opened. Standing just outside the door was the conductor of the ferris wheel. He had a smile on his face as he held the door open for you to exit the pod.

“I hope you enjoyed the . . .” The conductor opened his eyes and saw the compromising position you and Jevil were in and stuttered on his exiting speech. “ . . .ride. . .”

You wanted to scream; you were so embarrassed. Noticing your flustered appearance, Jevil placed your mask back on your face and took hold of your hand to lead you out of the pod. Once out of the pod, you kept your head down to keep from looking at the crowd that had now seen you in such a lewd position. Your face burned as you felt their eyes on you. A part of you knew not to be so embarrassed. You were sure that worse things had happened in one of those pods. But you never expected yourself to be participating in such activities. You looked to Jevil. His face was bright red as he led you towards to park entrance. Was he mad? You weren’t quite sure. Feeling even more embarrassed, you came to the realization that your date was over. It had ended on such an awkward note that you didn’t know how to feel. At least you thought it was over. That was until a cart housing pretty light purple flowers that you have never seen before caused Jevil to come to a complete stop.

“Wait here.” He said before walking off to the cart.

You did as you were told, your face still burning hot as you stood in place. You had almost had your first kiss. It was still so mindboggling that it overshadowed the fact that you had shown Jevil your face entirely. In fact, this whole date had been mindboggling. In a good way, of course. A lot of firsts had happened that you didn’t know where to even begin to unpack everything for yourself. Luckily, you didn’t have to as Jevil was already making his way back to you, a big bouquet of purple flowers in his hands.

“Here you are, my lady.” He said as he handed the flowers to you. “The florist told me that these are Shion flowers. They mean remembrance.”

“They are beautiful.” You sniffed at the flowers, inhaling their sweet earthy aroma.

“I got them because I want you to know that I will never forget this wonderful night, and I hope you never forget as well.”

You looked up and saw the serious look on Jevil face. He meant every word he spoke just then, the impact of them hitting you hard with complex feelings.

“I won’t ever forget.” You signed, matching his serious tone with your own. “This night was the most magical I have ever experienced.”

“I’m glad I have such an impact on you.” He smiled at you as you silently giggled at his words. “Now let me take you home.”

Jevil then took your hand and lead the way out of the park. Once back onto Castle Town’s busy main street, he took the same route that he had when going to the amusement park. The twists and turns still confused you, but you let Jevil lead you. The walk to your apartment building seemed so much shorter coming back than it did going. You supposed it was because everything was over, and it was the universe’s way of making the time you had with Jevil shorter. It took no time at all to get back to your apartment building, the building looming over the street. Before you knew it, you were climbing the stairs and then standing in front of your apartment door.

“Thank you for walking me back, Jevil.” You clumsily signed, the flowers getting in the way of your hand gestures.

“No problem, I’m just glad that you enjoyed yourself.” Jevil smiled at you.

“I did, thank you.”

You fumbled with your keys for a moment before Jevil kindly helped you out by taking the flowers from you. With the flowers now out of your hands, you were able to get the proper key to open the door. You were about to say thank you again when Jevil held up his hand to stop you. He then handed the flowers back to you and in one flawless motion, removed your mask just enough to kiss you on the cheek before putting it back in place.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Harley.”

He then turned around and started walking to the steps. You didn’t wait to see him go as you slipped inside your apartment and closed the door. Once the door was locked and secured, you leaned back against it, hugged your flowers tightly and silently squealed your racing heart out. Without a doubt, you will be thinking about this wonderful night for the rest of your life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 8. I hope you guys like it. I have news though! After a great push from my friends and family, I have set up a Patreon account. I know I said wasn't going to make one but it was brought to my attention that using Patreon would be better than trying to use ads on my blog to help me make this hobby into a career. Currently, everything I have ever written is up there for free with original stories to be posted soon. Please think of it as a glorified donations box that entirely optional. I'm planning to have exclusives there but no time soon. I'll let you know when I do though. In the meantime, feel free to just enjoy my stories. And as always, please feel free to leave your feedback on everything in the comments section.
> 
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	9. Shion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The clowns prepare for their next performance while also moving to their new homes at the Castle.

“Phew.”

Jevil admired his handy work. All the boxes that had been left in his new living room had now been organized into their proper rooms, ready for unboxing. Moving to a new place was tough. Even tougher was going to be redecorating the new place he was now calling home. He didn’t want the new place to look anything like his previous home, for fear of making himself homesick. But at the same time, he didn’t have the creativity nor the patience to tolerate decorating in a new way. It didn’t help that his mind was still hyper focused the events with Harley that happened a few days ago, the date they had gone on replaying over and over in his mind. Everything about that day had been amazing. From going on his first ever real date to spending quality time with a girl he could say that he had strong feelings for. Everything had been magical. But there was one thing that was more magical than everything else. And that was the fact he got to see Harley’s face for the first time. That moment had been everything he had ever dreamed of, because not only did they establish a much stronger connection, but he got to see just how beautiful she really was. And she was beautiful, no, the right word was gorgeous.

Jevil stared blankly in the middle of his living room, arms at his side and his face burning white hot at the memory. It took a lot of force to make himself move into the bedroom and begin unpacking. Usually, he was a man of composure. He was able to control himself pretty well, so long as he wasn’t angry. If there was one thing he was certain about, it was that he was not a man who fell in love at first sight. He didn’t believe in such bullshit. But being so close to her and seeing her for the first time like that had broken something within him. He had been holding this something back for a while now, unable to put a name to what he was feeling as well as not wanting to admit that he had whatever it was. And he had been proud of himself for holding whatever it was back, even if it was with metaphorical tape and glue. But now . . . now, he was a changed man. And he was certain that what he was feeling was . . . love. Love for a woman he thought he would always hate due to their first introduction. Man, how things change. And quickly too. He never expected this to happen but at the same time, he had to wonder just what he expected. They linked their magic together and one of the consequences for that was falling in love. No longer did he think that was just a rumour, it was a fact.

But was he upset that he had linked magic with her? Did he regret it? No and no. It saved him having to learn the complicated Hands that she spoke in. Plus, it allowed him to actually hear her melodic voice. But then he had to wonder, had his feelings not been his own this whole time? And instead the result of a simple action? Was he really in love with her? Jevil set the notebook that he had pulled out from one of his boxes on his lap and just stared at it. He quickly scanned its contents only to find that the book was mostly empty. Those were tough questions that he didn’t have an answer for. He wanted to believe that his feelings were real and his own, not just the result of linking magic with Harley. But he just wasn’t sure. His feelings for her had just suddenly happened and just like his feelings, they were moving rather fast in their relationship. Everything was going rather fast. Maybe too fast? Jevil groaned and fell against his bed, irritation slowly building within him. He had no clue what he was doing or what he was supposed to do. . . . Maybe this was love?

“No, that’s stupid.” He whispered to himself.

But then again, his actions were mirroring what he had seen on TV. Being flustered and unsure of himself. These were common traits of someone in love. At least according to TV. And maybe following what he saw on television was a bad idea, but it was all he knew to do at the moment. He supposed that since it got him this far, there was no harm in continuing to follow television’s example. So then, what would a love-struck protagonist on a tv show do next in this situation? He sat up, his mind racing. The answer was simple. Write her a love poem, confessing his feelings for her. It was a classic move and it always worked at getting the girl. The only problem was that he sucked at writing poems. He laid back against his bed, defeated. His best poems were the roses are red, violets are blue variety. And by best, he meant the most garbage tier of poems. It was unacceptable and not appropriate for conveying his feelings. But how was he supposed to tell her how he felt? It felt like hours had passed before he was finally hit with some inspiration. Ideas were running wild in his mind. Jevil grabbed that half empty notebook, hopped to his feet and went to sit at his desk. Grabbing a pen from the office supplies box that sat on the desk, he went to work on scribbling out his ideas. Like a overflooded dam, his ideas came forth in a rush.

If this didn’t convey to her how he felt, then he didn’t know what else would.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It had taken him hours, but he finally finished. And not the task that he was supposed to be doing. He wanted to laugh out loud. Never in a million years would he have thought that he would write a short play. A romantic one at that. But he had. And it was all thanks to his feelings for Harley that he even had the idea. It was wild to even think. Sitting back in his chair, Jevil reread the short script that he had churned out and was beyond proud of himself. Everything was as descriptive as he could make it. The theme was a mix of playful yet serious. And most importantly, he was able to have his character express his feelings to the character he imagined Harley playing. It was cheesy, yes, but it was honest. And most of all, it was from the heart. Jevil set the notebook back on the desk, leaned back in his chair and sighed. How he thought that his feelings were false were beyond him. If they had been fabricated, then there would be no way he could have written an entire romantic play for her. Absolutely no way. He supposed he had his answer to those difficult questions he had posed earlier.

Content with the answers he had finally reached, Jevil looked around his room. Boxes upon boxes littered his new room. It was so bad that he could just barely see the cream coloured walls or the white carpeted floors. The cardboard monstrosities made the already small room even more claustrophobic than what it already was. He hated it. But he couldn’t complain. If he had stayed focused, he would have been done unboxing by now. He couldn’t be mad at anyone but himself for being so flighty. But he couldn’t help himself. What he felt for Harley needed to come out. He had been fighting it for so long now. It was time for him to give up the fight and just let it consume him whole. He was in love with her. The thought felt foreign to him, almost like he shouldn’t think such a thing. But at the same time, he liked the thought. It felt nice to finally let it out, comforting even. He was in love. The thought burst through, giving him the energy and confidence he needed. He was going to tell her. He needed to tell her how he felt . . . today. . . right now.  That was probably the next step if he was following a tv love-struck protagonist.

Jevil hopped to his feet and was about to leave his cluttered room when he glanced at his alarm clock. The giant red numbers read 22:17. He was shocked. It was really that late already? Just how long had he been working on his short play? Well, it didn’t matter. The fact was, he had wasted his entire day and couldn’t ask Harley to come over at such a late time. Yeah, she lived next door to him, which was a blessing, but he respected her time and realized that she was probably asleep by now. His poorly planned and impulsive ideas were going to have to wait for the morning. Jevil sighed. Now what was he going to do? He was feeling oddly energetic and he needed something to do to make the feeling go away. He looked around his room and remembered that he still hadn’t unpacked his things. And though it was a chore he didn’t want to do, it was nonetheless, something to do. Jevil sighed and went to the first box. He ripped into its contents and wanted to curse. It was going to take all night to finish unpacking and having his house presentable for Harley.

Right . . .this was all for Harley.

He imagined how elated she would be reading his script, how she would smile for him once she knew his true feelings for her. He could picture clearly in his mind just how cute she would be, and it made him smile like an idiot and his face burn like fire. The thoughts of her alone sparked the energy that was stored within him, making him want to finish the task that he had started this morning. And was supposed to be done with by now, but that was beside the point. Was it silly that he was going so far just for her? He didn’t know. And he didn’t all the much care. He was doing this all for her and he was proud of it. He had never felt this way before and he liked it. Before, he had no desire for love. No desire to do well in life either. He had given up without actually taking the plunge and doing so, just doing the bare minimum that would keep him from dying. But Harley . . .she was like a magic spell that had been cast on him because without him really realizing it, she was pushing him to do better and be better. In a way, she had saved him, or at least showed him why he should keep going. She was helping him to enjoy his job again, helping him to see that life was more than just silly pranks and tricks. It was no wonder he was doing so much just for her. And without a doubt in his mind, he would do it all again if it meant making her smile.

Even if that mean he was getting no sleep tonight. Even if that meant making a fool of himself in the morning.

It was worth it.

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

You held your breath as you balanced precariously on your kitchen stool. Your arms reaching as far as they could as you tried to place your last decorative vase in its spot on the shelf in the living room. This was the last item you needed before you would be done unpacking everything and you were beyond excited. The arduous task had taking you almost two days to complete and you hated every second of it. Why was unpacking everything so difficult? You didn’t have a hard time packing it all away. And that had taken way more time. But none of that mattered now. You were so close to being done that you could taste it. The second the vase slipped into place, you released your hold on it and brought your hands together in triumph. Almost instantly, you felt yourself lose balance. You felt nothing but regret as you found yourself tumbling down onto the carpeted floor. The fall hurt. Especially to your tailbone. But at least you landed on plush carpet, otherwise you would have been in for a rude awakening. You rubbed at your sore tailbone before looking up to your vase and silently laughed. For you to have a job in balancing, it didn’t seem like you did when you didn’t land on your feet like a cat. But at least you had finished your awful chore.

Carefully, you pushed yourself to your feet and looked around your newly decorated living room. Everything about the room screamed ‘home’ now that it was fully decorated with all of your things. And making the place home was what you had been aiming for when unpacking because a part of you missed your old apartment. You never would have imagined that you would feel so bad leaving your old place, but you did. And it showed in your decoration of your new place because even though your new home was more spacious than the apartment, you still arranged everything like how it had been at the old place. It was almost a complete mirror of your old apartment. The only exceptions being the new vase filled with the beautiful lavender coloured shion flowers Jevil had given you sitting proudly on the coffee table in the living room and the single orange-yellow rose that sat on the kitchen table. Otherwise, everything was exactly the same, keeping the homesickness at bay, and you liked it like that. It wasn’t much but it was everything you could have asked for.

You wandered over to the pile of flattened cardboard boxes that had been used to house your things and picked one up to bring to the recycle bin. Heading towards the door, you opened it only to stop in your tracks when a sudden pop sound caught your attention. Closing the front door, you looked around for the source of the familiar sound. It took you a moment but then you finally spotted it. Hovering just slightly off the floor in the living room was a piece of notebook paper. Residual puffs of familiar purple smoke from whence the paper emerged from, disappeared into the air. Your heart fluttered in your chest at the sight. There was only one person you knew of that could use magic to deliver mail like that. Dropping the flattened cardboard boxes, you went over and picked up the paper. On it was a very simple message, written in his usual messy handwriting.

_Come over?_

You felt like a love-sick little girl as you held the note close to your racing heart. It had been a while since you last saw Jevil. The move to Card Town had taken up a lot of time. Time you wished you could have spent with Jevil, ironing out just what the two of you were to each other. Because you didn’t know. Ever since your date with him a few days ago, you have been confused. Were the two of you a couple? Were you just friends still? It was hard to pinpoint. It didn’t help that you also didn’t know what you wanted out of your relationship with him. Did you want something more? Or were you content with just being friends? You weren’t sure and had been thinking on it ever since the end of your date with him. But you couldn’t come up with an answer. You thought that maybe talking to him would help you make up your mind, but you feared the potential conversation. It was that fear that made you somewhat grateful for the time-consuming move to Card Town. But now the time had come to talk to him, and you were kind of scared. Not of the conversation itself, that would be relatively easy, but more of what he would say.

You sighed, that love-sick feeling slowly being ebbed away and replaced with a calm reserve. This conversation was inevitable and needed to happen, you told yourself. Even if you were scared of what might happen because of it. With one last sigh, you went over to the desk that sat next to the front door. Your pile of important papers and notices for upcoming bills were starting to pile up again. But you paid it no mind as you moved those papers aside and laid down the note Jevil sent you. You grabbed a pen from the little cupholder and quickly wrote your response. The second you were done, the note disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. You fanned at the smoke in hopes of making it disappear before you fell into a coughing fit. Once the smoke fully vanished, you checked yourself in the small mirror that hung over the desk. You looked presentable, albeit a bit ragged with your long hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. Other than that, you were fine to go see him in what you were wearing.

Making sure not to put your mask on because you promised him that you wouldn’t wear it around him, you went to your front door and left your new home. Outside, you breathed in the fresh air, grateful for just how good it smelled. It was so much fresher than the air in the city you once called home. Cleaner too. It made it a joy to be outside. Taking one more deep breath, you turned and went to the house next door. It looked a lot like yours, at least on the outside. But you knew that on the inside was going to be totally different. After all, Jevil decorated like how a man would. . . messy. Standing in front of his door, you were still so shocked that you and he were neighbours. Never in a million years would have thought that you would live next to someone you could say you had a crush on. As Jevil would say, the king was evil to do this to you. And the thing was, you understood why the king placed you two next to each other. It was so that it was easier for you two to practice when you needed to. But that didn’t stop you from think ill of the king a little. It was an awful kind of punishment, being next door neighbours with your crush. Your crush that you could just barely talk to without remembering the date you went on with him. And how he almost kissed you. Your face burned like hot magma at the thought. God, everything about your relationship with Jevil was a mess. It needed to be ironed out. Now.

Taking one last deep breath to steady your nerves, you knocked on the door. Jevil opened the door almost immediately, like he was waiting at the door for you. The moment he laid his tired golden eyes on you, his expression changed from hurried to calm.

“Hi.”        “Hey.”

“Oh, you go first.”        “You first.”

Your face burned as you looked down and silently giggled. The two of you were so in sync that you were talking over each other. It was like the two of you were sharing a brain or something. It was pretty cute, you had to admit. But it was terrible for actual communication. Jevil must have realized it too as he sighed softly. You looked up to him and saw that he was blushing and rubbing at his head nervously. Goodness, he was so cute being vulnerable and awkward like this. You caught yourself on the thought and immediately tossed it aside. It was inappropriate to think of him like that. The two of you were just friends. Friends who needed to talk.

“Go ahead.” You signed, in hopes of getting Jevil to speak again.

“Uh . . . It’s nothing.” He stuttered as he stepped aside for you to enter his home. “Come on in.”

You stepped into Jevil’s home. Instantly, you were hit with a bit of deja-vu, the moment reminding you of the first time you had come over to Jevil old apartment. The only difference was the mess of empty cardboard boxes littering the floor of his living room. Standing tall and proud against the living room wall was his expansive entertainment centre and giant collection of colourful DVD’s. The thing took centre stage, just like it had in his old apartment. Littered about the place were tiny colourful figurines of characters you didn’t know of. You had never seen them before and were surprised at how expansive his collection was. A lot of them were female with short skirts and big breasts while the others were of intricate looking robots. You stared at them for a little bit in confusion, not sure how you felt about the strange décor. On one hand, they were cute but on the other, you were surprised that Jevil had them at all. Even more that he had them out on display like that, especially the more scanty clad girls. He didn’t seem like the type to collect such things. And though it seemed weird, you appreciated learning something new about him.

“Ah, just ignore those.” Jevil said, his voice sounding nervous.

You tried your best not to giggle as you started signing. “So, what did you call me over for?”

“I uh . . .wanted you to read something I’ve been working on.” He started as he headed towards a closed door and opened it. “You know, just for feedback.”

“Okay!” You signed excitedly.

He disappeared into the other room while you sat down in the living room and waited for him to return. You weren’t going to lie to yourself, you were pretty excited to see what he wanted you to read. Your mind was racing with ideas as to what it could be. Maybe he was writing a novel, though what kind of novel, you had no clue. Or maybe he had written a poem. Maybe the poem was for you? Maybe it was a poem confessing his true feelings? You silently squealed at the thought before you remembered you were not in the privacy of your home and stopped yourself. Still, your face was fevered as you waited patiently. You were so silly, thinking that he had done something like that. This wasn’t one of your romantic soap operas. The two of you were just friends, nothing more and nothing less. But if Jevil had done something so sweet like that . . .well, you wouldn’t know what to do. Of course, you’d be happy, what woman wouldn’t? But what happens after that?

Knocked out of your thoughts, you heard Jevil close the door he entered and turned to watch him come to you. In his hands was a tattered notebook. The poor thing looked like it had been through a lot. You were worried that it would fall apart in his hands. But even more so, you thought that Jevil was going to fall apart before he got to you. He looked so nervous, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted you to read what he wrote or not. You tried your best to give him a reassuring look, in hopes that it would brighten his spirits. You weren’t sure it truly worked as he when he finally stood in front you, he still looked so nervous. He stood in front of you for a moment, fidgeting with the notebook and opening it to where he wanted you to read before he took a deep breath. In one quick motion, he shoved the notebook in your hands and took a step back.

“It’s not entirely finished.” He spoke fast. “And it’s not very good. And . . .”

“Jevil, I’m sure it is wonderful.” You signed, interrupting his rambling. “Now let me read it.”

He sighed in defeat and sat down next to you, watching intently as you started reading. Silence stretched over the room. The only sounds being the occasional rustle of paper as you flipped through the tattered notebook carefully, eager to read more of the romantic story Jevil had written. You weren’t going to lie; you were shocked that he had written something so romantic. It was so well written, and the characters were so relatable. You could really feel how his protagonists felt. Their story felt so familiar yet in ways, it was foreign. Just certain scenes seemed like things that you and Jevil had gone through. And you supposed he would take inspiration from the interactions you two have had. Most artists did that, it wasn’t unusual. Then you got to the kiss scene and fell in love. The final words from the male protagonist were something out of one of your romance novels. It made you swoon and wish you could hear something so sweet being said to you.

“Is this . . .?” You started, unable to finish due to being enthralled with what you had read.

“Yeah, it’s a short play.” He answered shyly. “I thought we could perform it. . . You know, only if you want to.”

“Of course I want to!”

You signed excitedly but then paused, something big dawning on you. In order to perform Jevil’s skit, you would have to kiss him. It took a moment before the sudden realization truly hit you. Your whole body warmed to uncomfortable degrees, like you were bathing in molten lava. You had never kissed anybody before. The closest you had come to kissing someone was on your date with Jevil, on the ferris wheel. Remembering that special moment had you biting your lip in order to keep your composure in front of Jevil, your inner fangirl daring to come out. The realization that you were going to kiss him nearly made you faint. It was something you had entertained in the privacy of your home, for fear of others seeing you fangirl. But ultimately it was something you never expected to happen. After all, you two were just friends. At least, that was what you had thought. You were more confused now as to what you were to him than ever. The scene he had written seemed to be about you and him, at least that was the impression you got, and it made things even more confusing.  Kissing him was only going to make that feeling worse, you knew it. But you weren’t going to lie and say that you weren’t excited a bit.

“Great, we should get started immediately.”

Jevil spoke fast, his excitement radiating off of him in waves. It was infectious, but instead of it pumping you up, it made you a bit sick with nerves. Butterflies danced wildly in your stomach as your mind refused to let go the thought of kissing him. This could only be a dream and you weren’t waking up from it. There was no way you were seriously about to act a scene in which you kissed your crush. You sneakily pinched the back of your hand. It hurt. But things hadn’t changed. Jevil was still talking way too fast and you were still destined to kiss him. This wasn’t a dream. It was reality. You tried your best to not let your inner fangirl out and instead tried to focus on what Jevil was talking about. Somewhere along the one-sided conversation, he started going off on his plans for practice. His talking was so fast that you could barely keep up with him. He needed to know. As much as you didn’t want to, you knew you had to tell him the truth. You couldn’t let him go on with the thought that you were experienced in kissing. It would be a total shock to him if you revealed to him the day of the performance that you were inept in that department. It also wouldn’t be fair. He had worked so hard on the skit. You didn’t want to ruin things for him by hiding the truth. Taking a deep breath, you prepared yourself to reveal one of your biggest secrets. You just hoped that he didn’t make fun of you for your inexperience.

“There is just one problem. . .” You started.

He seemed caught off guard when he spoke. “What is it?”

“I’ve. . . I’ve never . . . uh . . . kissed anyone before.” It was hard to admit, but you did it.

Jevil looked at you in shock before a small smile tugged at his lips. “Really?”

“Y-yeah.”

He looked at you with great intensity, whatever he was thinking was cleverly hidden behind those beautiful golden eyes. It was unusual for him to look at you with such intensity. The last time he had looked at you like this was when the two of you were on the ferris wheel, during your date. At that time, he had been close to kissing you. The memory made your face burn and your nerves to spike. You felt too exposed to him while he felt a million kilometres away. What was he thinking? Why was he smiling at you like that? It was as if he were entertained with your inexperience. Did he think your secret funny? Was he planning on picking on you? Your body tensed and you prepared yourself for his playful words and for a retort of your own.

“What? Why are you smiling at me like that?”

He seemed to come back to the present and recollected himself. “Nothing. Just liking the idea of being your first kiss.”

You were stunned speechless at his words, your hands stuttering to protest.

“Anyway, let’s get to practicing. We only have two weeks to be prepared.”

“B-but. . .” You started to object.

“Don’t worry. I won’t bite. . . much.”

Jevil smiled wickedly at you, showcasing his sharp teeth. Your face burned at his suggestive words as you watched him get up and walk over to stand in front of the fireplace. He held his hand out to you, beckoning you to him. You got up, went over to him and took his hand, unable to resist him. Once your hand was in his, he twirled you around in a little circle before extending the hand that held yours and letting go of you once you were just far enough from him. Your heart hammered wildly in your chest as you stood in front of him, you mind racing with possibilities for how he wanted to practice. He never specified what he wanted to practice. Was it the kissing scene only? Or the whole skit? Either way, you doubted that you would be able to stay focus. You were going to kiss him, and the thought refused to leave your mind, instead playing over and over in your mind. And though it was difficult, you forced yourself to stay focused on what Jevil was saying. It was like having a conniption.

“Okay, so I was thinking we start with what we just did.” He explained. “Since you can’t speak, all the acting will fall on me. You will dance further and further away from me until I catch you. Then we kiss and the scene is over. Got it?”

You nodded your head before signing. “What about music?”

“Ah, good idea.” He brought his hand to his chin in thought. “I didn’t think that far ahead. For now, just think ‘elusive fairy’.”

You nodded your head again and got into position.

“Alright . . . “ Jevil started. “3, 2, 1.”

Jevil reached out for you but you danced away like you were told to do. In your mind, you listened to imaginary music that was mystical in tone. Fitting perfectly to the character you were playing. In fact, you imagined everything from the set to your outfit as you danced away from Jevil. Everything was so vivid and colourful in your mind’s eye, that you couldn’t wait to start work on the costumes and set. Twirling to the other corner of the living room, you waited for Jevil to begin speaking his line. The second he spoke; you were enchanted away to a mystical place. Hearing him speak his poetry so elegantly, it was like nothing you had heard of before. You had to wonder if he had he always been this eloquent and why he never showed you this side of himself before.

“Wiping my memories, I was looking for a changing summer. Then! I was hit. The thread of my heart, you trembled it. The smile of a dancer, downhill to the back alley. A drifting scent gave me such a feeling. I have never felt before.”

He started slowly towards you, one hand over his heart while the other was out stretched for you. His golden gaze was penetrating as his eyes never left you. You stared back at him, utterly frozen in place. Your feet refused to move from their rooted spot as you wanted to hear more of his hauntingly beautiful poem being spoken aloud. It was only when he whispered that you should move away from him that you remembered what you were supposed to be doing. It took everything you had to force yourself to dance away from him and to another part of the room. Once safely out of his reach, you waited again. Your heart pounded loudly in your chest, not from exhaustion but in anticipation of getting to hear more of Jevil’s poem spoken aloud.

“In a corner of the city. On day after the other, I was waiting for you. Like a dream, what a mysterious love. If wrapped, I will be reborn.”

Your whole face burned like hot molten lava had been poured all over you as you listened to his words. It sounded more like a confession of love now that you were hearing it being spoken aloud than when you had read it. The way Jevil stared at you helped to confirm your suspicions. Everything screamed ‘love confession’ and you didn’t know how to handle it. You wanted your suspicions to be true, you wanted this to be his way of confessing his love for you but at the same time . . . You watched him stalk towards you once again. On instinct, you started to back away from him, the kiss scene quickly approaching, only to trip over your own feet. He reached out for you in hopes of keeping you from falling just as you reached out to him. You manged to grab hold of him before you hit the ground, but he lost his footing and fell with you. With a soft thud, the two of you landed on the ground, Jevil’s heavy body atop of yours. Jevil quickly propped himself on his hands but did not get up, instead he looked down at you just as you looked up to him. It took you a moment to realize just how scandalous this situation was. Your face burned at the realization at just how vulnerable you were right now. No mask to hide your face and pinned underneath Jevil who was more than ready to kiss you. It was too much and you felt like you were about to explode.

“Embrace me, kiss me, my beloved. Take out my sorrow.” He whispered slowly as he leaned down and brought his lips close to yours.

Closer and closer, he came to your lips. He was so close that you could feel his warm breath against your skin. Panic coursed through your veins as your breathing became erratic and wild. You weren’t ready for this. Not yet. It was too soon to kiss him. You still had no clue what you were to him, if you were anything. That talk that you thought was going to happen when you came over here, still hadn’t happened. And now, you were too flustered to even think about talking to him about such things. No, now you needed to leave so you could calm down. You needed to go home and breathe for a moment. Unconscious of what you were doing, you placed your hands on Jevil’s chest and pushed him off of you with all of your might. Once free of him, you hopped to your feet. Hiding your face from him by keeping your back to him, you went over to the front door and opened it.

“That nervous about it, huh?” He called out to you.

You nodded your head, unable to speak.

“That’s okay.” He sounded so reassuring and kind as you heard him get up from the floor. “But, I’m just gonna say this now. You had best get used to the idea of kissing me. You’re gonna be doing it a lot.”

You turned around just slightly at his words. They sounded like a warning, like he knew something you didn’t. It made you nervous and even more desperate to go home so you could calm down. Unable to respond to Jevil’s final remarks, you turned and left his home. Once out in the fresh cool air, you took a deep breath. Just what had he meant by get used to the idea of kissing him? That you were going to be doing it a lot? You wished you had had the nerve to asked when you had the chance. Now, your mind was going wild along with your pounding heart. Whatever Jevil had in store for you, you had a feeling it involved a lot of kissing. Your whole body burned at the thought. And as you walked back to your home, you let your inner fangirl out, the silent squeals seeming so loud to you. So loud, you thought that the whole town would be able to hear you. And if they could, you didn’t care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 9. Chapter 10 is the final chapter of this act, so look forward to that. As always, if you want to red the latest chapter, it is on my blog. And also, if you feel it in your heart, please feel free to donate to my Patreon. Every little bit helps make writing my career instead of just a hobby.
> 
> **[[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/periwinkleparadise)] [[Twitter](https://twitter.com/Periwinkle818)] [[Blog](http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com)]**


	10. Osculation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During the performance that Jevil wrote Harley and Jevil share their first kiss

Jevil looked at himself in the mirror that hung in his bedroom. He looked beyond tired. The last two weeks had been nothing but busy work. He and Harley had been doing everything. From making the colourful sets and costumes to editing and practicing the short poem he had written. It had been a lot of fun working with her, even if there were times where they were under a strict time crunch. They still managed to make the time intensive task fun. But now the day had arrived for them to show that all their hard work wasn’t for nothing. This was the day that Jevil had been both dreading and looking forward to. Dreading because not once during all their many practices had Harley been able to go through with kissing him. Each and every time, she would back out at the last second. It was a little frustrating, but he didn’t blame her for her nervousness. She was basically a virgin in the realm of romance. Unlike him. However, he was looking forward to this day because she would have no choice but to kiss him today. He knew that her desire to perform well would override her fear of kissing him, so she would go through with it. And he would be her first kiss. The thought had him grinning like a love-struck doofus. However, this moment was more than just being her first kiss. This moment was to solidify not only his feelings for her, but potentially a real relationship between them. He didn’t want to mess things up by being too hasty, for fear it would scare her off. 

Jevil rubbed at his tired eyes and made his way to the bathroom to do his usual routine. Normally, he wouldn’t think to put so much effort into his ritualist routine. Just a quick shower and teeth brushing. Nothing fancy. But today, he went all out to clean himself. A thirty-minute shower, complete with scalding hot water burning his skin clean. And fifteen and a half minutes straight of brushing his teeth. And yes, he knew that it was probably just his shaky nerves that made him go overboard like that. But it was also that he felt the need to be super presentable today. It was a special day today, and he was treating it as such. Even if in reality, the day wasn’t that important. He was also aware that he was overthinking things just a bit. His mind was going a million kilometres a second with possible scenarios and what-if’s questions. It was this ruminating that took up the most of his time. And even though he tried his best to stop, he couldn’t. But how could he not ruminate on today’s events? Just as Harley was new to kissing others, he was new to doing anything romantic. Let alone trying to get a proper girlfriend. Everything was so new, and he had no clue what he was doing, so he couldn’t help but hyper focus on and overthink it. 

Finding himself staring blankly at his own eyes in a mirror again, Jevil forced himself to stop thinking just long enough to peel himself from the steamy bathroom mirror and out the warm room. Once in his cool bedroom, Jevil removed the damp towel that hugged his body and tossed it onto his bed. Freeing himself from the constraint of the damp towel felt wonderful and if this were any other day, he would enjoy the feeling of the air hitting his body. But this was not a typical day and Jevil found himself rushing to get his costume on. The colourful purple suit felt weird on his body. He had never worn something so formal before in his life. As he fiddled with his tie, he looked at himself in the mirror and couldn’t help but think that he looked weird. It looked like he was going to a fancy wedding that was disco themed instead of going to perform a romantic skit. The glittery purple sequins that decorated his pant legs and suit jacket, shimmered in the light. Jevil looked at them, unsatisfied. It was too much sequin. Way too much. He knew he should have let Harley do all the costumes, but he just had to do his own. And now he was regretting it. Trying not to let his frustration take control, he took the jacket off and slung it over his shoulder, exposing his white dress shirt fully. He posed in front of the mirror, doing his best impersonation of a male model and examined himself. 

“I guess that’s better.” He whispered to himself. “Though, note to self, never pose like that ever again.” 

Feeling a bit more confident about himself, Jevil looked over to his clock and wanted to swear. It was already time to leave. He had wasted so much of his limited time ruminating in the shower and staring at himself that he couldn’t afford to have breakfast. Not like he would be able to eat anyway. His nerves were so high strung that the thought of eating food made him feel sick. So maybe being forced to skip it was for the best. Jevil took a deep breath, gathering his courage, before leaving his bedroom and heading towards the front door. Once outside, Jevil breathed in the crisp air for a moment before walking over to the neighbouring house. The walk was brisk and soon he stood in front of her door. His hand was posed, ready to knock on the wooden door. But when he was about to knock, the door opened and Harley stepped out. Jevil brought his raised fist down to his side, stopping himself just in the nick of time from hitting the poor girl in the head. He hadn’t expected her to emerge so suddenly like that, but he was glad to see her nonetheless. Her presents alone was mesmerizing, as usual. But when he saw her costume, he was awestruck. Her light purple tutu-like dress and matching fairy wings on her back had her looking mystical while her long dark hair rippled down her back made her look ethereal and otherworldly. It was a shame that he couldn’t see her face as the colourful purple mask she wore obscured the top part of her face, leaving only her supple lips and chin exposed. It took all of his strength to not kiss her right here and now. When she finally looked up and jumped a little when she saw him, clearly not expecting him to be there, before she gave him a little wave. 

“Hey.” He held his hand up in greeting. “You look amazing.” 

“Thank you.” She signed. “You clean up well yourself.” 

Jevil chuckled at her words and stepped aside to let her out. If only she knew what he went through to get so ‘clean’ as she put it. “Today’s the big day. You ready?” 

“Can I be honest?” She stepped from her small porch and onto the path that led to the castle. 

“Always.” He followed after her, falling into step beside her. 

“I’m not ready.” She looked a bit sad admitting that. 

“Why?” The moment the question left his mouth, Jevil felt beyond stupid for asking. Harley didn’t help matters none by shooting him a pout. He knew exactly why she wasn’t ready. It was showing strong in her grey eyes that she was worried about the one scene that she has been struggling with since the beginning. “Oh, that?” 

“Yeah, that.” She looked down to the ground, like she was embarrassed to look at him. 

“Hm.” Jevil hummed as he thought. “Do you not what to do that scene? We don’t have to if you are that uncomfortable with it.” 

She didn’t answer, the silence stretching for a long time and making Jevil worry that he had hit the nail on the head. She stopped dead in her tracks, forcing him to come to a halt as well. He looked at her and saw pure determination in her grey eyes. The sight had him wondering just what she was thinking. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long for her to sign her thoughts. 

“No, the show must go on as it is.” The determined look she shot him was beyond cute. “I can do this.” 

“Yes, you can.” Jevil smiled at her in hopes of helping her feel reassured. “Here, I have a tip for you. Close your eyes, so that way you won’t see it coming.” 

“Was that a joke?” She asked, her eyes betraying her serious sounding question with a look of pure amusement. 

“Maybe. . .” 

Her tiny shoulders trembled from her quiet laughter. Jevil joined her in laughter only to have her lightly push at his shoulder and making him laugh even more. Though what he said sounded funny due to his intonation, he actually meant every word. If she was having so much trouble kissing, then the best thing for her to do was to close her eyes and not see it coming. It was the advice he had gotten when he was experiencing his first kiss and having trouble, just like Harley. It was a simple fix but it was effective. And most of all, it worked. He was able to have his first kiss all thanks to having his eyes closed and he was certain that Harley would be able to have hers if she did the same. Jevil was the first to break through the hilarity as he tried his best to give her a serious look. 

“I mean it though.” He finally spoke. “If you are struggling, just close your eyes.” 

“Okay.” She signed the moment she stopped giggling. “Thank you.” 

“No problem, now let's get going. We don’t want to be late.” 

 The two of them continued on the path to the castle. Their new homes were not that far from the giant castle, making the walk there rather short. The dirt path led them through the main centre of Card Town, past all the colourful shops of delicious smelling food and other small trinkets. As they passed by, the venders said their greetings to which Jevil responded in kind. The kind gesture was mostly for Harley’s sake. They had just moved to the town and no one knew that she was mute. Unlike in Castle Town where everyone knew she was mute and had worked to best understand and talk to her. Besides, he knew she was the type that would respond to such pleasantries. It was just another thing he loved about her. Lost in thought, it took him a moment to realize that they had made it to the steps that led up to the castle doors. 

“After you, my lady.” He said stepping aside with a little bow, allowing Harley to go up the steps first. 

“Why thank you.” 

He watched for a moment as she carefully climbed the stairs before following in step behind her. The perfume she wore wafted back to him and made him swoon. God, she smelled good. Like a patch of wild lavender. Jevil inhaled her scent as though his life depended on it. When they made it up the steps and onto the promenade, Jevil pealed himself away from her and went ahead so he could open the door for her. She gave him a little smile and signed him a quick ‘thank you’ before stepping into the castle. Jevil took a sneaky deep breath her perfume as she passed by before following her into the castle. Instantly, he was greeted with the same dark walls and floorboards mixing with the dark wood end tables and cream coloured sofas. Everything about the castle was the same as it had always been. Dark, cold and drab. Perfect for that crazy power-hungry king. But Jevil could look past it today. His mind was focused on the girl in front of him. She was mesmerizing. From the way her long dark hair fanned down her back and lightly moved with her body to the way her hips gently swayed with every step she took. She took his breath away as she unknowingly commanded his attention. If only she knew what power she had over him, what she did to him. He was so lost in thought that he almost didn’t realize the giant black and white audience chamber doors looming in front of them. 

“You ready?” Harley asked, snapping him back to the present. 

“Yup.” Jevil answered. “You?” 

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” 

Jevil was just about to open the door for them when he stopped and looked at Harley. He could feel that she was nervous. “Are you sure you want to do the scene?” 

She looked shocked for a moment before signing. “Yes, I’m sure.” 

He gave her a quick nod of his head before pushing the huge doors open. What greeted them was the same black and white audience chamber as always. Dark and spacious with little curly-cues of gold giving the place a bit of pop, much like the rest of the castle. However, instead of being filled with gaudy furniture that no one used, the audience chamber was filled with a massive stage prop. The theme for the prop being a city scape at dusk. He and Harley had worked crazy hard over the last week creating the thing and even harder getting into the room. Their hard work showed though. The set was beautiful. The reds, oranges, blues and pinks of the darkening sky and the twinkling LED lights in the windows of the buildings made the scene look realistic. Most of all, fit the theme of the skit perfectly. He couldn’t be more proud seeing the thing in all of its glory, sitting in the middle of the room. Jevil admired their work for a moment, taking in its glory before he heard a door open. He heard the king before he saw him, the king’s heavy footfalls echoing throughout the cavernous room. Jevil ripped his eyes from the giant set and watched as the king walk across the throne platform, his son and adviser right behind him. Once the conga line of royals took their seat, the king cleared his throat and spoke. 

“Once again we meet.” The King bellowed. “And I know that, once again, you will entertain us.” 

“Yes, your majesty.” Jevil tried his best to mimic the king’s bravado. “And today we have a very special presentation for you.” 

“Oh? Well then, I won’t delay you.” The king slouched in his throne, his hands placed in his lap and fingers lacing together. “Show me what you have created for me.” 

Jevil looked over to his petite partner. She was already at the small boombox in the corner, ready to hit the play button. She looked to him, waiting for his signal. He nodded to her and immediately she hit the small button and quickly got into position. Jevil copied her and got into his own position. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, to get into the mindset of a lovestruck Darkner chasing his lover, before opening his eyes and looking to Harley. She looked immaculate standing in front of him, everything about her screaming ‘elusive fairy’. The innocent yet seductive look on her face conveyed that she was in character. And though the both of them were in character, there was a major difference in them. In her eyes, this was just a skit, but in his, this was for real. He was really chasing after her. And though she didn’t know it, she was going to be caught today. He was going to make sure of it. For years, he had been searching for someone like Harley, though it was an unconscious search. He finally found her, and she was everything and more. And she had been eluding him for far too long, living in the same town as he yet never meeting until recently. It was like a fairy-tale dream come true. And now, it was time to put an end to her unintentional elusive ways and make her his. 

Within moments, a slow sultry jazz tune started to play throughout the room, the saxophone blaring its romantic yet melancholy notes. Harley twirled over to him in time with the song, her long hair like a second dress as she twirled into his arms. He caught her with ease and before he released her, he took a quick sniff of her hair. Wild lavender assaulted his senses and he loved every second of it. He was a bit reluctant to let her go, but he did and watched as she sauntered away from him. It was almost painful to watch her go and he almost broke character as the urge to reach out for her was strong. But he let her go and prepared himself to speak his lines. It was nerve wracking to think that he was going to speak his poetry aloud to the king. Never in his life did he ever think that such a thing would happen, let alone speaking aloud such a personal poem that was meant for his crush. But here he was, about to pour his heart out to everyone in the vicinity. All eyes were on him, waiting for him to say or do something. He was nervous to say the least and was starting to have second thoughts about performing this personal skit. It truly wasn’t meant for anyone to see or hear besides Harley. And she had seen and heard it already. 

Jevil looked to his petite partner who stood across the way, close to the cityscape. She too, was waiting for him. Waiting for him to pour his heart out to her. Waiting for him to come and get her. That’s right, Jevil thought. She hadn’t heard his poem in its full glory. She hadn’t seen him pour his heart and soul out to her. She hadn’t gotten the true scope of his poem, of his feelings for her, quite yet. It was with this performance today that she would most likely finally receive the feelings he had for her, making all of this once again new to her. That realization spurred his confidence and gave him the resolve he needed. He took a deep breath and started to speak. The words that he had been wanting to tell Harley for quite some time, flowed from him with ease. The feeling was like that of an inferno that had been skirting around him, finally coming close and consuming him whole. Heated passion and a flaming desire for her made his words hot like fire. He spoke every syllable with deliberate precision and power, hoping that each word made its way to her and that she understood what he was trying to convey to her. This was his last chance to get her to understand. If his words didn’t reach her, if she didn’t understand him. . . he was going to lose her forever. And not in the sense that she would go to someone else, at least he hoped not. But more that he wouldn’t have the courage to do such a stunt again and he couldn’t have that. He couldn’t lose this precious moment. He couldn’t lose her like this. 

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★ 

The second Jevil spoke, you were blown away with how passionate his words were. It was like nothing you had seen in all the practice attempts the two of you had gone through. Something about his delivery seems so desperate and in love. It was beautiful, much more than when you had first heard him speak such words. But something was weird about it. Something that you struggled to place. With how passionate he was being, it was almost as though he wasn’t just playing his character but where actually being serious. Like he was aiming his words straight to you and not to your character. But that was ridiculous. Jevil wouldn’t break character like that. Nor would he direct these special words to you. . . well, at least you thought he wouldn’t. But in all honesty, you didn’t know how Jevil felt towards you. That talk had never happened like it was supposed to. So, you were still in the dark and could only go off of speculation and your own feelings towards the jester. You weren’t going to lie, you hoped that he was saying these sweet words to you. But you knew better than to wish like that. It was much too silly. But the way his eyes never wavered from you had you starting to think otherwise.  

If he was being serious and directing these words to you, and not your character. If this was his way of conveying his feelings towards you. Then . . . 

“The thread of my heart, you trembled it.” 

Your face burned like that of a thousand suns. The urge to break character and ask him if he was talking about you was so strong, you had to clench your hands into tiny fists to keep from signing. No, you were not going to break the king’s illusion that this was just a normal skit. That meant using the little clues that Jevil was obviously leaving for you, his words. The way he emphasised the word ‘you’ was different from how he usually said it during practice. It had to be a clue. You thought on it for a moment. There was no reason for him to emphasise his words like that unless . . . he was trying to speak directly to you and not to your character. But would he do that? And during the performance? You looked Jevil in the eyes and saw nothing but seriousness reflected in them. He had never looked at you like that during practice. The only time he looked at you like that was when he had almost kissed you on the ferris wheel. The realization had your heart pounding hard and loud. Was this what you thought it was? Was this a confession?  

Jevil moved towards you, almost coming into reach of you before you danced away like you had been told to do. It was hard to move away from him like that. Every part of you wanted to stop the performance and just ask him what he was saying, to tell you in plain and simple language. But you knew better to do that and instead kept up pretences, mostly for the king’s sake. If this really was a confession of love, and deep down you hoped it was, then you were an idiot for not noticing it sooner. Jevil had been saying his feelings for you over and over for the past two weeks during practice. He had been working hard, day and night, to get this moment to be perfect. Yet, you never noticed it. You had been too focused on looking at his skit for what it was, that you didn’t realize the truth of what it is. And now it was too late. You had forced Jevil’s hand. If you had figured it out sooner, you probably would not be here having Jevil say these personal words in front of the king. It could have been kept in the privacy of your homes. However, if this was not a confession of love to you, then you were an even bigger idiot.  

“On day after the other, I was waiting for you.” 

Jevil pointed straight to you, making your heart race and your face burn, as he emphasized his words once again. The gesture was new. He had never done that during practice, making it more difficult for you to not look into his actions. But something about them just screamed that they were for you. And you wanted so badly for his words to be for you. That he returned your feelings. It was foreign of you to want something so badly outside of your work, let alone something to do with romance. But you couldn’t help yourself. The growing feelings you had for Jevil, you could no longer keep contained and hidden. Not when he was acting like this. His actions were everything you have ever wished for in a romance and he was aiming them towards you. How could you keep your feelings in check? You couldn’t. And you weren’t going to try anymore.  

“Like a dream, what a mysterious love.” 

Your face burned like fire at his words. This moment was like a dream. Weather it was a happy dream or a nightmare, you weren’t sure yet. The only way you would find out would be to ask him after the performance. A part of you feared that inevitable conversation but you knew it needed to happen, no matter how awkward it was. You just couldn’t stand leaving things as they were. You needed confirmation. Or was this moment, this beautiful moment, your confirmation? You weren’t sure and it was starting to get you agitated. Yet, when you looked back at Jevil and saw the love and passion pouring out of him as he spoke his sweet words, the agitated feeling dissipated and was replaced with love. You had been too scared to admit it before. Unknowingly to you, you had deemed the feelings you had for Jevil as inappropriate. Especially since they came out of nowhere. Only starting when the two of you had linked magic together and only getting worse as time marched on. You didn’t want to believe the feelings as true as it was too soon to feel so strongly for him. Nor did you want to think hard on the fact that you were probably only feeling this way due to the rumour that linking magic would have you falling in love. But try as you might, the feelings were there. They were strong. And you couldn’t run from them no more. 

Jevil marched towards you once again, determination shining bright in his golden eyes. You danced away only to have him grab hold of your wrist and twirled you close to him. He held you taught in his arms, making it so you could no longer run away. Mentally or physically. Your heart hammered hard in your chest. This was it. This was the moment. He was going to kiss you. You had been so lost in your own head that you hadn’t seen the moment coming. You hadn’t prepared yourself. But it was clear that Jevil cared not for your lack of preparation as he looked down at you. His golden eyes were smouldering and his hold on you was so tight, you thought he was going to break you in half. There was no more running. There was no more thinking. There was no more time to try to get prepared. Jevil was prepared to kiss you, whether you were or not. It was going to happen. 

“Embrace me, kiss me, my beloved. Take out my sorrow.” He whispered his last line, his voice just barely audible, even to you. 

Unconscious of the movement, you nodded your head slightly before closing your eyes. Darkness shielded you away from his intense golden stare, giving you a bit of a safe haven. But even though you didn’t see him come closer to you, you felt it. His warm breath tickled at your skin, giving you goose bumps up and down your arms and back. Then, you felt it. His warm thick lips gently touched yours. The feeling was like nothing you had ever felt before. It was soft and carful with just a hint of begging. For what, you didn’t know. It was as if he wanted more but was too scared to ask for it. Not that you knew how to give him more of whatever it was he was looking for. What you did know was that you loved the feeling. It was intoxicating. Mesmerising. Spell binding. You didn’t want it to stop. Every part of you wanted him to hold you in his arms and just never stop kissing you. How had you been so scared before? It had been so silly of you. Unconscious of what you were doing, you leaned into his embrace, deepening the kiss. His warm tongue carefully licked at your lips, begging for entrance. You obliged and opened your mouth just enough for him to enter. Immediately, his tongue shot in and started to dance with yours. The feeling was intense and hungry as Jevil dominated your mouth. 

“Eww!” 

You stiffened at the childish protest of disgust, ever muscle in your body locking up as you remembered that you had an audience. And in that audience was the King’s son, who was clearly disgusted. The boy’s little show of childish disgust broke the spell that Jevil had over you and like dominos, the illusion fell away. Broken. You could feel the wonderous bliss that once was, slowly falling back into reality and soon, realization of what had happened dawned over you. On instinct, your eyes shot open. The sight of Jevil with his eyes closed and a small smirk pulling at his lips filled your vision. It was clear that he was trying to hold onto the moment, despite having a frustrated aura. He was clinging tight to it just as he was clinging tight to you. But the moment was gone, ruined by a little boy who was not ready to see adults kissing. With your heart beating wildly, you broke the kiss and tried to wriggle yourself free of Jevil’s tight hold. Jevil opened his eyes and looked at you. For a moment, it seemed as though he wasn’t going to let you go. But after a moment, he seemed to think better of it and reluctantly let you go. You took a few hesitant steps back from him before turning your back on him and the king, kneeling down and covering your burning hot face with your hands.  

“Heh . . . got a bit too into it.” Jevil said shyly, trying to weasel the two of you out of the potential wrath of the king. You knew that he was rubbing at his head in nervousness. 

“We can seeith that, thoust worm.” The king’s adviser spoke. 

“It was a lovely performance, nonetheless.” The king said with his usual bombastic tone. “I can’t wait to see where it goes.” 

“Really?” Jevil sounded surprised. “You hear that, Harley?” 

You nodded you head but refused to move from your kneeled position. Jevil chuckled at your antics, making you hide your face even more. 

“Yes. I am intrigued.” The king started, commanding attention. “I never expected a romantic play from the two of you. Especially one so . . .” 

The King didn’t finish his sentence. Or maybe he did, and you hadn’t heard but really, he didn’t have to. His meaning was not lost on anyone. It was shocking that you and Jevil did did a skit so steamy. Especially since not that long ago, the two of you couldn’t stand one another. Even to you it seemed out of left field. But deep down, you didn’t care. You had kissed him. And you enjoyed every second of that kiss. Even now your lips still tingled from the sensation. You rubbed at them in hopes of making the feeling stronger. It was a distracting feeling as it was the only thing you could focus on. You kind of knew that you would enjoy it, at least to a certain extent. But to such an extreme? It was unexpected. You peeked at Jevil from between your hands and felt your face warm. Even though he was busy paying attention to what the King was saying, he looked so handsome doing it. And it was as you were peeking through your fingers at him that you were able to truly appreciate him in a suit. He radiated confidence, strength and sex appeal as he stood tall and proud. Not at all was he embarrassed over what had happened, and if anything, he seemed proud.  

“Nonetheless . . .” The King’s booming voice knocked you out of your reverie. “I expect more great performances from you two. Until next time.” 

“Thank you, your highness.” Jevil said with a slight bow. 

You heard the King and his entourage get up from their thrones and leave the room, leaving you and Jevil alone in the empty space. Your heart hammered hard in your chest. What was Jevil going to say? What was he going to do? Surly he was going to say or do something that would lead into having that particular discussion that you have been dreading. It was inevitable. You looked to Jevil. He was still standing where he was, only now his hand was on his hips. There was a curious look on his face and it had you wondering just what the jester was thinking. He turned to you almost like he knew you were staring and smiled at you. You prepared for the worst, your body tensing up tight. 

“Is it just me or is the King a lot more mellow these days.” 

That wasn’t what you expecting to come from him. You didn’t know how to respond to that besides telling the truth. 

“I-I wouldn’t know.” You signed, confused. 

“Huh . . . I suppose you wouldn’t.” Jevil smiled. “But you should have seen him. He had a huge smile on his face. Maybe he is a secret lover of romance skits.” 

Jevil walked over to you and held his hand out to you. Still confused by his ways, you were a bit hesitant to take his hand. But you did anyway, and he gently pulled you to your feet. Once on your feet, you looked at him in confusion. Was he really not going to bring up the subject? Was he going to leave it to you to bring up? You didn’t want to be the one to do it. The main reason being you didn’t know where to even begin such a conversation. It was something you had been thinking on it for a long time, but where never able to come up with a solid start. Everything that you came up with just sounded so bad and never made much sense. So you avoided starting the conversation, instead hoping that he would start it. 

“What’s on your mind?” Jevil suddenly asked, knocking you out of your thoughts. 

Not sure how to say what you wanted, you just started signing. “What was that? Between us?” 

Jevil chuckled softly before speaking. “What? You couldn’t tell?” 

You shrugged your shoulders. “I don’t know. Just answer the question.” 

“Well . . .” Jevil started to rub at his head, clearly becoming nervous. “Every word I said in the skit was aimed to you. I’m asking you to take out my sorrow by becoming . . . my girlfriend.” 

  Everything for you stopped. Your thoughts, the embarrassment you had felt. All of it came to a halt as you replayed what you heard him say. Girlfriend? Had you heard him correctly? Had he honestly asked you to be his girlfriend? You were shocked silent. Everything that you had thought earlier had been true. He had been trying to talk to you and tell you his feelings all during the performance. You should have seen it sooner. The fact that you made him tell you over and over again made you feel a bit bad. But at least you finally understood him and now, all you had to do was say yes. But you were stunned silent. Your hands refused to move. The simple yes you wanted to sign was just refusing to come out. What was wrong with you? This was everything you had ever wanted. Jevil had finally told you his true feelings and was asking you to be his girlfriend. This was everything you had ever dreamed of. And yet, you couldn’t speak. All you could do was smile at him like a doofus.  

“Maybe I didn’t ask correctly.” Jevil muttered, mostly to himself. He then took hold of your hands and spoke clearly. “Harlequin, will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?” 

Unable to sign, you nodded your head wildly before ripping your hands from his grasp and wrapping your arms around his huge shoulders in the biggest and tightest hug you could give. It took him a moment, but soon Jevil wrapped his strong arms around you and buried his head into the crook of your neck. His hot breath tickled at the sensitive skin there. You nuzzled into his chest and inhaled his cologne. Goodness, he smelt amazing and you couldn’t get enough of it. Jevil chuckled softly before pulling back just enough so he could place a free hand on your cheek. Your face burned like the sun as he leaned closer to you. His honey golden eyes were smouldering hot as he looked you. Something in the way he stared at you reminded you of how he looked at you during the performance and had your heart racing and your lips tingling with anticipation. You knew what was on his mind, you could see it in his eyes. He didn’t even try to hide his desire. Neither did you. You wanted it just as much as he did, if not more. 

“No one to interrupt us this time.” He whispered. 

Jevil tipped your face up to his just a bit, allowing you to close your eyes, before gently bring his lips to yours. You heart sang the second your lips touched. The sensation was as you remembered it. In fact, it was even better now that you had your answer. The soft skin of his thick lips touching yours was like heaven. The gentle hunger that showed in his kiss was deliciously foreign. You loved it and drank it all in. But Jevil was holding himself back, you could feel it. Why he was holding back, you weren’t sure. You could only assume it was because he didn’t want to ruin the moment. But you knew he wanted more, just like during the kiss scene. And you wanted more too. Gently, you licked at his lips. However, the second you did so, that restrained hungry feeling you got from Jevil quickly took over. He pulled you closer and instantly, his tongue shot into your mouth. His tongue danced wildly with yours, the feeling intoxicating to your mind and making you dizzy. You loved every second of it and wished that the moment would never end. However, Jevil quickly broke the kiss, his breath ragged and his eyes hungry. It was a look on him that you had never seen before. 

“You’re getting pretty good at this.” Jevil teased, letting you go so you could sign. “A bit too good.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” You signed. 

All you got as an answer from him was a dark chuckle, the sound making you more confused.  

“Never mind, don’t worry about it.” Jevil scratched at his head. “Come on, let’s get out of here. There is someone I want you to meet.” 

You nodded your head and he took hold of your hand. His skin was so soft and oddly warm. Jevil led the way out of the audience chamber and into the hallway. Once out in the hallway, he made a right turn and led the way to the main front door. You were curious as to who his friend was, but could not ask because you didn’t want to break the hold he had on you. Instead, you just let him lead the way to the doors. Once outside, Jevil led the way past the colourful Ruddin guards that stood in front of the castle gates and into the Scarlet Forest. It had seemed like forever since you had last stepped foot into the forest. Normally, you would have been hesitant to walk through the maze-like forest. But with Jevil by your side, you felt confident to enter the woods and tackle the confusing maze. You looked to Jevil. He had a silly grin on his face as he walked. He looked down at you and smiled. 

“Right, I should tell you about my friend.” He started. “He was the one who inspired me to learn Hands so I can talk to you. His name is Seam.” 

You stopped dead in your tracks, forcing Jevil to stop and look at you. Had you heard him correct? You broke the hold he had on your hand and started to sign quickly. 

“You know Seam?” 

“Yeah. . .do you?” He asked. 

You nodded your head. 

There was a moment of silence as realization coloured Jevil face. 

“Oh my god. . .” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 10. This was a pretty fun chapter to write. I've been wanting reader and Jevil to kiss for a while now, lol XD. And of course, I left the ending a bit ambiguous because the chapter was getting too long. So it will be resolved in the next chapter. Please look forward to that.
> 
> You know what else is potentially fun? Visiting the social media's! Yay! XD  
>  **[[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/periwinkleparadise)] [[Twitter](https://twitter.com/Periwinkle818)] [[Blog](http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com)]**


	11. Fika

Jevil couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Harley knew Seam. And from the way she talking about him, it seemed she knew him rather well. More than a regular customer at his shop would. And though it wasn’t weird for her to know of Seam, it was weird for her to know him on such a personal level. Seam was a private old Darkner, he didn’t talk to just anyone. So, for him to open up and talk to Harley of all people was an interesting surprise. Jevil tried his best to recall if Seam had ever spoken of Harley in passing. But all he could think of was the advice that Seam had given, spurring Jevil to speak to Harley. Nothing else came to mind. And yeah, there was a chance that Seam never spoke of Harley because he was again, a private Darkner. But he and Seam were best buddies. They were tighter than tight. At one point, they had been partners, working together to entertain the King with jokes and magic. It had been great fun for many years. And though those times were behind them now, Jevil didn’t think that Seam had forgotten and moved their friendship to a different status. A status wherein Seam kept things from him. It was as Jevil watched as Harley speak, her hands going a million kilometres a second, that realization finally hit him.

“Oh my god . . .” He whispered, staring at her in awe. “You’re the mute girl he spoke so fondly of.”

Her hands came to a stop and she looked at him questioningly. “Seam spoke of me?”

“Yeah, and with great affection too.” Jevil started. “He was always going on and on about how much potential you had as a performer.”

“Really?” She asked as she looked down to the ground as if trying to hide her blushing face.

“Don’t let it go to your head.” He teased.

“No, no!” She looked up, her hands waving in defence. “That's not what I meant. I mean, it’s just weird because I don’t think he ever spoke of you to me.”

“Oh, now I see that he plays favourites.” He pouted playfully.

“No, that’s not what I . . . “

“Don’t freak out.” Jevil interrupted. “He and I are best buds. We go way back. So, I pick on him a little here and there.”

“Ah, okay.” She then smiled.

“But he owes us an explanation.” Jevil said sternly. “Because I know I went to him to talk about you. And it would have been nice to know that I was talking about his friend.”

Harley nodded her head. “I agree. He needs to explain.”

Jevil took hold of her hand. “Then let’s go pay our old friend a visit.”

Jevil led her through the scarlet forest, his mind racing. Never in a million years did he think that he would meet the girl that Seam always spoke of. He had made a vow to never meet her. All because he feared of corrupting such a pure sounding girl. After all, he wasn’t the greatest of Darkners. He could admit that. He had his flaws and he acknowledged them. And they were big enough to keep him from wanting to meet her. After all, Seam had spoken so fondly of Harley, saying how far she was going to go as a performer and how proud he was of her. It had made Jevil nervous to meet someone with so much potential like Harley. What if he rubbed off on her and ruined her potential? Her future? He had been sure in his convictions to stay away from her. And yet, fate had brought them together anyway. And just as he had feared, he had almost ruined their careers. Luckily, fate had been merciful on them. But then again, fate also had him falling so hard in love with her so there was only so much mercy he was going to get. But it had him wondering, was his awful luck going to ruin what he had with Harley? Would he really be able to have happiness with her? The thoughts plagued his mind that he barely noticed that Harley had slipped her hand from his.

“You talked to Seam about me?” She suddenly asked, something mischievous in her grey eyes.

Jevil chuckled shyly and rubbed at his head, a sudden wave a nervousness hitting him like a truck. There was no way in hell he wanted to admit what he had said about her, to her face.

“It’s okay. I talked about you to him too.”

“Yeah? What’d you say?” He asked, changing the focus from him.

“Oh, you know. Just complaining to him about how much of a jerk you were.” She said candidly.

He was shocked that she was able to admit it so easily, but he didn’t show it, instead opting to play it cool. “Really now?”

“Yup. Though now that I know you a lot better, I feel bad for what I said about you.”

“Don’t. You had every right to say whatever you said.” He looked down at her as she looked up to him. “Besides, I complained about you too, so we’re even.”

She smiled at him and took hold of his hand, the little gesture making his heart race and his face warm. He had to admit it. He was truly in love with the girl. So much so that he didn’t care what fate had in store for them. He was in love. And he wasn’t going to let something as small as fate or his rotten luck ruin that for him. He wanted to enjoy every moment he got to spend with her and not let his negative thinking take that from him. His vow was simple, stay in the present. No more wondering about the what ifs. Because they didn’t matter. What was done was done. They were together and that was how it was going to be. If he ruined it for them, then so be it. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t be trying his best to not be a dumbass and ruin things between him and Harley. It just meant that he would roll with the punches, and let whatever happens, happen. It was a different approach to such a foreign thing than what he thought he would do. But it was better than panicking about every little thing. Besides, if he did well, then he wouldn’t have to worry about losing her. But he was going around in circles and it was making him tired. Instead, he decided to just be happy in the moment with his new girlfriend and focused his attention on navigating the forest.

The path that led to Castle Town was obscured with red and orange foliage. It was beautiful even if a bit messy. But if he didn’t know better, he would have thought that there was no path at all. However, Jevil knew the path was there. He could just barely see it under all the leaves. And even if he couldn’t see it, he knew the path by heart. Even with the occasional booby trap or puzzle thrown in by the King’s adviser and master puzzle maker, Roulx Kaard, to keep intruders at bay. And by master, he meant buffoon. Roulx Kaard’s puzzles were not difficult by any stretch of the imagination. Jevil had walked this path to and from the castle and solved the puzzles so many times, he saw the it all in his sleep. It had been the same for the past few years, he couldn’t help but commit it to memory. Even though he didn’t want to. He had tried to not memorize the path, just because there was a certain thrill he got being lost in the forest. That and he would have an excuse for being late to an audience with the King. But the damage had been done and there was nothing he could do about it. He followed the windy path as it snaked its way deeper into the forest. It was only when he saw the path break into two that he took a sharp right, off the beaten path and into the thicket of foliage. Red and orange swamped his vision that just to break up the bright colours, he looked down at Harley. She looked so lost and confused. It was cute.

“What’s up?” He asked, catching her attention.

“I thought we were going to Seam’s.” She signed, a curious look in her eyes as she walked by his side. “Shouldn’t we stay on the path?”

“We are, I’m taking a shortcut.” He said as he climbed the path with her in tow.

“Shortcut? There are shortcuts?”

“Yup, the dimensional doors.”

“Dimensional doors? What?” The voice that she projected sounded like she was in disbelief. It was clear she was not believing what he said.

“Yeah, you don’t know about them?” He looked down at her.

She shook her head, her hair whipping ever so slightly back and forth with her movement.

“Oh, well you are in for a treat.” He smiled.

Jevil continued down the colourful path with Harley right at his side. It wasn’t that much of a surprise that she didn’t know about the doors. Not many Darkners did. Or if they did, they didn’t use them. Jevil didn’t know why, nor did he care because as he saw it, it was a less crowded form of transportation that he didn’t have to share with anyone. That being said, and he knew this was an oxymoron, but he was excited that he was getting the opportunity to share this form of transportation with Harley. So much so that he couldn’t help but smile at the prospect. This was what he had been looking forward to when getting into a relationship with her. The ability to share the things he knew with her and she sharing the things she knew with him. Something about that just seemed so cute to him, though he would never admit that out loud. But he could revel in it internally. And revel in it he did when they arrived at the dimensional door and he looked at Harley only to see excitement and awe in her gun metal grey eyes. He watched as she ran up to the door and give it a once over before turning to him and signing.

“Wow! How does it work?”

“It’s simple.” He stared as he walked up to the door and opened it. “You step through and just head straight until you bump into aother door looking just like this one. You open that door and you are where you want to be.”

“How many doors are there?” She asked as she poked her head inside.

“Not that many. Just one in each main area of the Dark World, barring the Castle and Card Town.”

“Wow! I never knew these existed.”

“Not many Darkners do, so don’t feel bad.” He reassured her. “You ready to go?”

She looked to him with a smile on her face and nodded her head. He took hold of her hand and together they stepped through, colourful lights enveloping them whole.

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

The second you stepped through the dimensional door; you were slapped in the face with awe. A rainbow of colours bombarded your senses as they surrounded you and Jevil entirely. From top to bottom, there was nothing but colour. No floor or walls to speak of. Nothing contained the colour in its space, and it made you wonder how the two of you were walking when there was nothing under your feet. You looked around in awe of the space around you. The hypnotic swirls and waves of the rainbow space was disorienting. It was like looking at one of those tricky eye pictures that were littered in magazines that always claimed that there was an image in them. You never saw an image, but you did get a headache from them. And the same was happening in this space. You head was throbbing trying to make sense of what you were seeing. The whole thing made processing where you were in space that much harder to do. You had so many burning questions but couldn’t focus on them as another door, the same chocolate brown colour as the door you entered, appeared before your eyes. It looked so out of place in contrast to the rainbow background it sat upon. The door looked so normal, too normal. Almost like it was a mirage that your tired eyes were playing. But when Jevil touched the golden handle of the door, you realized that it was a real object. Nothing about it was an illusion. The realization just made you more confused.

Jevil opened the door and through it, you could see the open field with red leaved star fruit trees dotting the rolling hills. It seemed like it had been forever since you had last seen the fields. It was like a dream seeing the area through this magical doorframe. But it wasn’t a dream as Jevil led the way out of the rainbow space and your feet touched the green grass. Stunned, you turned back to the door only to see it close behind you, concealing its rainbow light show behind it. The only bit of the lights showing slightly under the door. Not sure what to make of what you just saw or what you had went through, you looked around. Everything seemed as it should. The grass was green like it should, the trees were red as they should. It wasn’t an illusion. And in its proper spot was Seam’s store. The store stood proudly in the distance, its brown siding peeling in certain places, showing its age. You were stunned. It hadn’t been that long ago that you and Jevil had entered that weird pocket space. Only a few minutes at most. Yet, you were already so far away from the castle. How had you never noticed these doors littered around the place? You looked to Jevil as if he could answer your question. He looked down to you like he could feel your eyes on him, a smile on his face.

“What’d you think of my shortcut?”

Unsure of exactly how you felt, you blurted out the first thing you could feel. “I think I feel sick.”

“Yeah, the dimensional doors have that effect the first time you use them.” Jevil patted your back gently. “You’ll get used it.”

“How did you learn of them?” You asked, genuinely curious. “The dimensional doors, I mean.”

“Hmm . . .” Jevil stopped for a moment in thought. “You know, I think Seam showed them to me one day. And I’ve been using them ever since because no one else does. Less crowded travel, you know.”

You nodded your head, truly understanding what he meant. The Dark World was much too crowded for its own good. So, finding a less crowded way of travel was understandable. However, upon thinking on his words, you ended up with more questions.

“How did you and Seam meet?”

“It’s a funny story, really.” Jevil said with a chuckle. “It was a lot like how you and I met. I was assigned to be Seam’s partner and help him entertain the King.”

“Really?”

“Yup, and I hated it at first. Sound familiar?” He chuckled.

You silently giggled as you nodded your head.

“Anyway, it took a bit, but in the end, we became inseparable and the best of friends.”

Jevil looked towards Seam’s Shop with nothing but admiration in his golden eyes. You could tell that he truly valued the friendship he had with Seam. And it wasn’t hard to see why. Seam was a lovable Darkner. It was hard not to fall into an easy friendship with him.  With how wise Seam was, striking up a conversation with him was beyond easy. And since Seam knew so much about a variety of topics, keeping it going was even easier. So, you were surprised that Jevil hadn’t taken to Seam on their first meeting. You could only imaging what that would have been like. Jevil acting like a jerk, just like how he had been to you. Then you thought about it and realised that it wasn’t all that surprising after all. It was clear that Jevil hated meeting new people and he especially hated working with people. He preferred to work alone and not deal with others. It was an odd trait to have, especially when working in the entertainment field. Working with others was a given and an expectance. There was only so much one entertainer could do on their own. But that was just how Jevil was. You found it kind of cute, if a little endearing.

“How did you meet Seam?” He suddenly asked.

“I was in college at the time and stumbled upon his shop where I fell in love with these candies he sells.” You started. “We bonded over these candies.”

“Oh, I know what candies you’re talking about. They are pretty good.”

“Yeah! They are. Eventually, we bonded over our love of performing.” You smiled. ”We’ve been friends since.”

“What a small world.” Jevil smiled, leading the way to Seam’s.

“Yeah. It’s still shocking that we are both friends with the same guy.” You said.

“Particularly with how we met, yeah.” Jevil started. ”It’s a weird deja-vu. At least for me anyway.”

“I can imagine.”

Jevil chuckled and led the way to Seam’s shop. Once inside the shabby brown hued building, you were hit with what you could only call nostalgia as you looked around. Nothing about his store had changed. The ceiling high shelves were still littered top to bottom with various bottles and packages. The prices for the items ranged from crazy cheap to ridiculously expensive. Seam explained it as, if the item was something he thought was too valuable to part with, he sold it for more. Things he didn’t mind parting with, he sold for cheap. It was his way of getting to keep certain items for a little while before he handed them off. You weren’t sure if his model worked, as you were sure some of the more expensive items had been there ever since you were a college student. But you dared not question the old Darkner. You wandered around the store, looking for one package in particular. After a bit of wandering, you found it sitting in its usual corner, close to the register. Your favourite star fruit candy. Its red packaging reminded you of the red trees the star shaped candy came from. You picked up a package and opened it. It felt as though you were a college student all over again as you popped a candy in your mouth. Sweetness filled your senses and you sighed your pleasure. In the distance, you heard Jevil chuckle once more, probably at you, but you ignored him and walked over to the cash register to pay for your treat only to find that Seam was not sitting behind it.

 “Seam!” Jevil shouted, his voice echoing throughout the tiny space. “Come on out here, I have a surprise for you, buddy!”

It didn’t take long for Seam to emerge from the back door that led to his home. The sight of the old Darkner brought a huge smile to your face. It had seemed like such a long time since you had last seen him.  He hadn’t changed at all. His grey fur was just as fluffy as ever, his one intact eye still betrayed just how tired he really was and his hobbled gait was still just as bad as it had always been. Despite it all, you knew he was in tip-top shape and that he was taking good care of himself. You had insisted a long time ago that he tell you if he was in any pain or if things were getting difficult for him, so that way you could do your friendly duties and be there for him. You had this feeling that he wasn’t going to do it, but just the fact that he knew he wasn’t alone was enough for you to be satisfied. Whether he liked it or not, you were there for him. That was what friends were for after all. You watched as he limped over to his seat behind the register and sat down. He then looked up and at the sight of you and Jevil, smiled big.

You waved at the old Darkner and then placed the opened package of candy near the register.

“Well, what a pleasant surprise indeed.” He said calmly. “My two favourite Darkners have come to visit me.”

“Yeah, about that. “Jevil started as he came up to the register and leaned against it. “Did you know that she was my partner?”

“I did.” Seam responded, a wise sounding tone to his words as he pushed the bag of candy back towards you. “It’s on the house, my dear.”

“Thank you.” You signed and popped another piece in your mouth.

Jevil reached over and placed his hand in the candy bag to take a piece. He then popped his stolen piece of candy in his mouth and talked around it. “So, you knew and didn’t say anything to either of us?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?” You signed.

“Because I didn’t want to ruin this moment.” Seam said, his words sounding wise yet again.

“This moment?” Jevil asked, his tone incredulous. “What does that mean?”

“This moment. The moment we are in right now.” Seam explained. “I didn’t want to ruin it. Nor the future moments to come.”

The realization of his words and their meaning had you nodding your head in understanding. It all made sense now. If Seam had spilled the beans on his knowing, then things would have been entirely different between you and Jevil. The realization had you wondering just what would have changed between you and Jevil. Maybe the hostile beginning the two of you had? There was the chance that instead of being hostile to one another, the two of you could have bonded over your friendship with Seam. The two of you could have been friends at first. But then, would the two of you be dating if things had been different. Would he have had the urge to learn Hands? Would the two of you have had linked your magic to each other? Those were all good questions that you struggled to answer. You wanted to believe that you would have done all those things regardless of circumstances, but you weren’t sure. As you thought on it more, you started finding yourself grateful that Seam had said nothing and let the two of you figure it out on your own. You liked how things had turned out and didn’t want to change a thing about it.

“Well, you could have ruined it for me.” Jevil said as he nonchalantly took another piece of candy.

“No, because if I had, everything that led up to this point would not have happened.” Seam explained calmly.

It took a moment before realization dawned on Jevil and he spoke again, this time, much calmer. “I guess you’re right. Any changes and Harley and I wouldn’t be dating now, would we?”

Jevil looked to you, his golden eyes admiring every inch of you. Your face burned like molten lava at his intense gaze. Every inch of you heated up and became feverish under his stare. You returned the loving gaze, taking in his huge form and getting lost in thought for a moment. He was so handsome, leaning against the counter like one of those cool bad boys from your romance books. If you hadn’t known any better, you would have thought you had jumped into one of those books and were now living a fantasy. After all, you were now dating this cool bad boy. But this was no fantasy. This was reality. You were really dating him. The realization had you hopeful and optimistic for the future, whatever it held in store for the both of you. Wanting to celebrate a little bit, you offered Jevil another piece of candy. He took the offer and popped a piece of candy in his mouth.

“D-dating!?” Seam choked out as he stared in disbelief at the two of you. It was the most expression you had seen him have the whole conversation.

You nodded your head but before you could sign to him, Seam had gotten up from his chair. Greyish purple magic coated his right paw and, in the distance, you could hear the sound of the front door to his shop being locked. Confused at his actions, you looked to the little clock that hung on the wall. Its gnarled hands pointed in all the wrong directions, but with a bit of work, you were able to make out the time. 19:32. It was still rather early, at least in terms of Seam closing his store. He normally didn’t close until 20:30. You wondered what had gotten into him when you saw him limp over to the door that led to his home and opened it.

“Come with me.” He spoke again, much calmer.

You looked to Jevil, who looked to you and just shrugged his shoulders before following after the old cat darkner. You followed after him into Seam’s home. Brown walls and wooden floors greeted you as you stepped into the kitchen. You had never been inside Seam’s home before and couldn’t help but look around in awe. The kitchen was small, made even smaller by the counters, stove and fridge that sat in the corner. Cups and bowls littered the counter and sink space, cluttering the already limited area. Nearest the window sat a small wooden table set that looked like it had seen better days. You watched as Jevil sat at the small table and made himself comfortable. He looked too big for the cramped area, and if you didn’t know better, you would have thought he was squishing himself in to fit. But despite how scrunched he looked in his chair, it was almost as if he had been here before. And to be fair, you would not have been surprised if he had. He had Seam were clearly closer than what you had thought. You copied after him, taking a seat at the table, though you kept a professional stance as you sat upright and watched as Seam fumbled with a coffee pot. Within moments, the sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted throughout the small room and filled your senses. Seam brought two cups of piping hot coffee to you and Jevil before going back to the pot and pouring himself a cup.

“Okay, now tell me everything.” He said as he leaded against the counter.

Jevil looked to you. “You want to tell the story?”

“I can’t, he can’t read Hands all that well.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I see you learned Hands rather well.” Seam spoke. “And fast too.”

“That’s part of the story.” Jevil said as he blew on his coffee. “So . . . we kind of linked magic.”

Seam nearly dropped his coffee in shock. “You what?!”

“Yeah, well, it was either that or learn Hands the hard way.” Jevil explained, his tone nonchalant. “And I was not for the hard way.”

It was a moment before Seam sighed and he regained his composure. “Linking magic was not what I meant when I said learn Hands.”

Jevil shrugged his shoulders before taking a small sip of coffee. His eyes nor his body language had a hint of remorse as he leaned back in his chair.  In fact, everything about Jevil’s body language screamed that he was proud. You looked over at Seam. He looked worried, his one good eye screaming concern. You were confused by his worrisome demeanour. Shouldn’t he be happy? His two friends were getting along. So well in fact that they were dating instead of bickering. He should be happy. But you could tell that he was consumed with worry. Seeing him like that made you want to know what it was that he was thinking. It also made you nervous because it was clear that he knew something you didn’t. Was it something about Jevil that you didn’t know? Was it something about linking magic? Was linking magic more dangerous than what you had thought? You wanted to know. You wanted to learn what it was that he knew that you didn’t know. Just as you were about to ask him what was wrong when Jevil beat you to the punch.

“I know what you’re thinking, old man.” Jevil spoke, his tone accusatory and hurt.

Seam concealed his worried demeanour making it seem as though he was never concerned. “Oh, and what would that be?”

“That I shouldn’t be dating someone like Harley.” Jevil started. “That I’m no good for her. It’s what you’ve always said when the topic was brought up.”

“I admit that.” Seam sighed. “Just as you have to admit that my concern is warranted. You know your track record.”

Confused and feeling out of the loop in the conversation, you looked to an upset Jevil and then looked back to a calm Seam. “What are you talking about? What record?”

Jevil sighed. “I don’t necessarily have a good love track record.

“Dismal is more like it.” Seam interrupted. “But he has quite a trail of broken hearts and sex buddies.”

“Seam!”

As the two men started to bicker; things started to click into place for you. Jevil was a player. And a heart breaker. It felt weird to think that about him, making saying it aloud an impossibility. But you didn’t know what else to call it. Nor did you know how you felt about it. On one hand, you were not that surprised. Something about Jevil’s demeanour had told you that he was the player and heart breaker type the moment you met. The way he acted, the way he spoke. It all screamed that he just wasn’t the type to settle down or get into serious relationships. And in a way, he had told you this information before you got serious with him. Back at the amusement park, on the ferris wheel. You just were too naïve to understand what he was trying to say. The realization had you wondering if you were right in being worried that he was going to break your heart. It was silly to think of it now, for sure. You had said yes to his dating proposal even with the feelings you had gotten from him. So, there was no use in worrying now. But you couldn’t help it. You didn’t want you first relationship to end in pain. You didn’t want it to end at all.

“Harley!” Jevil called to you, grabbing your attention and holding it firm. “Don’t listen to him, okay?”

“But is what he is saying true?” You asked.

Jevil hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice sombre. “Yeah . . . it is.”

“And should I be concerned?”

“No!” Jevil nearly knocked his coffee onto the floor as he reached over and grabbed hold of your hand. “You have nothing to be concerned about. I swear to you; I won’t hurt you.”

Seam sighed loudly, grabbing your attetion. “You can believe him, Harlequin. If there is one thing Jevil doesn’t do, it’s lie.”

You looked to both men and smiled. “Okay, I’ll trust you.”

Jevil lifted your hand to his lips and kissed your knuckles. It was clear that you didn’t have to tell him to not break your heart as he stared at you. His golden eyes screaming ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’. Seeing him look at you like that had your face burning while your knuckles tingled from his kiss. It almost seemed harsh to call him a player with how romantic he was acting. A player wouldn’t be romantic, at least not how Jevil was being. You were pretty sure of that. And a part of you felt bad for thinking such harsh things about him when he was trying so hard. But Jevil had admitted his heartbreaker ways to you, thus eliminating a secret he held. You wondered if there were more secrets that he was keeping from you, but you didn’t dare ask about them now. Especially not in front of Seam, even though he made a great mediator. It just seemed too personal a conversation, one that you were sure Jevil would want to have with you later. Besides, it might be too invasive for him. So, you saved that conversation for later and instead watched as Jevil shot Seam a look.

“Thanks a lot, Seam. You almost ruined my relationship with Harley.”

“It’s because I knew you would not tell her and there should be no secrets between you two.” Seam responded calmly, his words oozing with wisdom. “That is not how a relationship survives.”

Jevil pouted. “Damn you and your wise words, making sense.”

“Someone needs to do it, or else you’ll be running around the place looking more so like a fool than usual.” Seam chuckled.

“Would not.” Jevil whined.

“Right. Of course.” Seam’s tone was sarcastic as he spoke.

You silently laughed at the two men and their playful bickering. It was a nice sound to hear and an even nicer sight to see the two friends playing around with each other. You could definitely see that the two were close. Or as Jevil had put it, the best of friends. And they certainly acted like it. They acted like little children. It took them a while, but eventually the two finally stopped bickering. You didn’t hear who had won the little playful spat, nor did you really care as the coffee Seam had made for you was calling your name. Carefully, you picked up the mug and brought it to your lips. The smell of warm coffee hit your nose as the taste of it hit your tongue. It was delicious and had you sighing with bliss. This was what you needed after such a nerve-wracking performance. That and the company of your two most favourite Darkners. You couldn’t ask for more. Seam had been right. This moment would have been ruined if he had revealed his friendship with Jevil. And if there was one thing you knew; it was that you didn’t want a single moment of this to be changed or altered in any way. It was too good.

“So, when can I expect a wedding?” Seam asked suddenly.

It was clear in his intonation that he was just joking. But that didn’t stop you from nearly spitting your coffee out as you turned to Seam, shocked that he would even say the word wedding. The word sounded foreign to your ears. Wedding. Meaning marriage. You hadn’t given any thought to marriage. It was much too soon to think of it. You haven’t been dating Jevil for a whole day yet, so yes, it was much too soon. Though now that the word had been spoken aloud; you couldn’t stop thinking about it. How that day would be. How wonderful everything would be beautiful and perfect. Bouquets upon bouquets of colourful flowers surrounding you while you and Jevil stood under a beautiful white wedding arch about to share vows. Jevil in a finely pressed black suite while you wore a long white wedding gown. In front of you, on a beautiful white satin pillow sat two diamond rings. You wished you could squeal as the thought was too much to handle. Your whole body warmed to uncomfortable levels, making you certain that you had come down with a fever. Every inch of you burned, from your toes to your face. Everything was white hot. Without a doubt, it was way too soon to think about such things.

It was hard to do but you finally got your fingers moving to speak. “It’s too soon to think of that, Seam.”

“That is true.” Seam nodded his head in understanding.

“One day soon, though.” Jevil spoke, his tone made him sound so sure of himself.

Stunned at what he had just admitted, your hands fell to your sides and you looked with wide eyes at Jevil. Everything about his demeanour screamed that he was unapologetic and proud. And utterly serious. It took a moment before it finally hit you. He really and truly intended to marry you one day. The realization had your feverish head spinning with questions, but only one question truly mattered. Exactly just how long had he been thinking on this? You hadn’t thought on the subject at all, thinking that it was too soon to even give it an iota of thought. And yet, Jevil was already thinking this far ahead. It made you feel a bit silly, like you should be taking your relationship with him  as serious about this as he was. And to be fair, you thought that you were. But clearly you were not serious enough.

“Hmm, I had meant it as a joke but  . . . “ Seam started, a bit in awe. “Well, so long as I am invited.”

“Of course you’re invited. You going to be my best man.” Jevil said, excitement in his voice. “I’ve thought long and hard on at least that.”

“Anything else you’ve thought long and hard on?” Seam asked the question that had been burning inside you.

“Nope!” Jevil sounded so proud of himself. “Everything else is spontaneous. But I know I want it one day.”

Jevil looked at you, his eyes smouldering hot. He was being serious again. And once again, he meant every word. Your face burned like molten lava had been poured on you. How he was able to say things like that with no remorse was beyond you. Even more, how he was able to pin you with such a hot look, and in front of Seam too, was even more so perplexing. He had only looked at you like that a total of two times. Once while on the date to the amusement park. And the other when he was asking you out proper. Both of which had been wonderfully private moments. But now, he looked at you like that with little to no abandon and with absolutely no care for Seam’s comfort at all. You weren’t sure how to feel. On one hand, you loved it. it was a powerful look, one that had you melting in your seat. But on the other, a part you wondered if he knew just what power he had over you with just one stare. What he was able to do to you. Then he smirked at you, confirming your question. Oh, He knew all right. It was like he knew exactly what you were thinking and just wanted to mess with you. You rolled your eyes at him, making him chuckle. He then got up to his feet, his huge body seeming out of place in such a small room.

“Well, we’ve over stayed our welcome.” He said.

“That you have.” Seam joked as he pealed himself off the counter and set his mug down.

“Well, we wouldn’t be here, taking up your precious time, if you had just told us.” Jevil said playfully. “I brought Harley here because I thought that she should meet you. You’re the closest I got to family.”

“Ah, how sweet of you.” Seam looked stunned for a moment before regaining his composure. “But if I had told you. . . .”

“Yeah, yeah. Present moments and all that mumbo jumbo.” Jevil interrupted. “Come on, Harley. Let’s get back before it gets too late.”

You nodded your head, took the last swig of your coffee and then got up to follow Jevil out of the room. Seam hobbled after the two of you, a small smile on his features. Once into the main shop, you heard the heavy thunk of the front door’s lock being turned and looked back to see Seam using his magic to unlock the front door. Jevil went to the door and held it open for you. You walked over but before you left the shop, you turned and waved a quick goodbye to Seam. He smiled and waved back at you.

“See ya, old man.” Jevil called out.

“Goodbye for now, my young fools.”

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

Seam watched as his only friends left his store. It had been a wonderful surprise to see them today, and especially together. He never would have thought that they would come together to see him, not with how much they had complained about hating each other. Though, now he supposed that that little point was a bit moot. Still, he hadn’t heard from them in quite some time, so he had been worried. And how could he not have been worried. For quite some time, the two of them alternated visiting him and venting to him about their woes. The all of a sudden, it stopped. He had no clue what had happened or if they had figured themselves out. The last thing he remembered was telling Jevil to learn Hands from Harlequin and watching as Jevil left his home in a hung-over stupor. It had been worrisome to see. Especially since Jevil was known to abuse the liquor. And poor Harlequin, Seam couldn’t even remember the last time they had spoken to each other, it had been so long. But now, he realized that there was nothing to worry about. The two had figured themselves out rather well in fact. A bit too well. Dating and so seriously too. Just how long had that been going on?

It blew his mind as he thought on it. He still couldn’t believe that the two of them had linked magic and were dating now. How they had started off, he wasn’t sure if they would ever get along. Let alone link magic. Not that he wasn’t happy for them. On the contrary, he was ecstatic for them. He had wanted them to get along the moment he had figured that they were working together. Heck, he had always wanted them to meet because he knew they would get along. They enjoyed performing too much to not get along. But dating? And so soon? That had him a bit worried, he wasn’t going to lie. Not so much for Jevil, as he was the type of person to not be phased by a break-up. That much he had already seen of his friend. But more so for Harlequin. She was a gentle girl, who was clearly inexperienced in romantic affairs. He didn’t want to see her be hurt by anyone, especially by Jevil. That would break not only her heart but also his. However, he had seen a different Jevil today. One that seemed more than serious about dating Harlequin. So serious that he was even jumping the gun and talking about marriage. That was not the Jevil he knew, but it was a pleasant Jevil to see. He looked so happy and in love. It was refreshing. Such a sight reassured Seam that Harlequin wasn’t going to get her heart broken. And that was ultimately all that he wanted.

Once he could no longer see the backs of his friends, Seam used his magic once again to lock the door of his shop. The moment he heard the heavy turn of the lock going into place, he hobbled back into his home and made quick work of cleaning up the coffee mugs he had let his friends use. Once the task was complete, he left the kitchen and went to his bedroom to get ready for bed. All the while, his mind raced with thoughts of his friends. He wanted them to be happy with each other. In fact, he knew that they would be happy with each other, but he couldn’t help but wish for it anyway. Especially for Jevil. The poor fool had been miserable, even though he tried his best to hide it. But Seam was no fool, he could see that Jevil had been slowly killing himself, drinking and having wild sex to dull the pain of his miserable life. Seam had been there for it all. Jevil needed something stable and kind like Harlequin in his life. He had only been so worried because he thought that Jevil was going to break the poor girl’s heart. But he saw now that he had been worried for nothing. Jevil was madly in love and it was a sight to see. It made his old heart swell with joy.

Seam limped down the long hallway. Soon, he made it to his bedroom. Familiar brown walls greeted him as he stepped into the room. It was as he had left it. Somewhat messy with leather bound books strewn all over the place and his bathroom door left ajar for a bit of dim lighting. Seam went to his dresser and pulled out his pyjamas. Quickly, he stripped of his casual clothes and put the sleeping robes on. It felt good to be free of his casual clothes and in the soft embrace of his pyjamas. It was the one thing he looked forward to every night. He limped over to his night stand, picked up the bottle of sleeping medicines and shook a little pill out. Grabbing the glass of water that sat on his bed side table, he took the pill. Then he pulled the covers on his bed back and climbed in. The old mattress complained from his added weight but otherwise, enveloped him completely. He laid back and rested his head on his pillow.

“Dating, huh?” He mumbled to himself as he lay in bed, waiting for the sleeping medicine to do its thing. “This’ll be interesting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 11. This chapter is mainly filler as I prepare to get everything ready for the latter half of the story. I'm expecting just a few more happy chapters before things hit the fan and we delve deep into sadness. As always, please leave your feedback and comments down below
> 
> You know what else is happy filler? My social media's
> 
> **[[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/periwinkleparadise)] [[Twitter](https://twitter.com/Periwinkle818)] [[Blog](http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com)]**


	12. Affiant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jevil meets Harley's parents for the first time

“Wow, you have so many movies.”

You signed, awe colouring your face as you looked through Jevil’s expansive movie collection. He had everything, ranging from horror to romcom’s. He had mentioned that his movie collection was huge, but you didn’t think it was this expansive. There were almost 2000 titles here, maybe even more. It took up most, if not all of his huge entertainment centre and then some more space on the shelving that dotted the wall. The collection was so huge that you wondered if he had seen them all or if he was just hoarding movies for the fun of it. And you could only imagine how expensive this must have been for him, as movies were not cheap in the Dark World. Regardless, you were impressed with his collection and his dedication to the art. So much so that you had trouble deciding which movie you wanted to watch for your first ever movie night with him. Tonight was the official start of the ritual. Jevil had suggested the idea after you told him that you hadn’t watched many movies in your lifetime. ‘We need to fix that.’ he had said, and the next thing you knew, you were being lulled into the idea of going to his place to watch movies every Thursday night. You were excited to start such a cute ritual with him, even though you were having troubles picking out a movie.

“Yeah, I‘m a bit of a movie snob.” Jevil said as he came out from the kitchen holding a variety of snacks. “I’ve seen em’ all at least once.”

“Really?” You asked, utterly stunned that he had such dedication.

“Yup, had a lot of free time when I was younger.” Jevil said as he set the snacks down on the coffee table and then turned to you. “You look like you’re struggling. Need help?”

“Yes. I can’t pick one. Do you have any recommendations?”

“Hmm, let’s see . . .”

Jevil came over and bent down beside you, his eyes focused on his collection. You however, were no longer looking at his movies. Your focus had long since changed to your beloved boyfriend the moment he bent down near you, and you made no attempts to hide it. Doing so would be too hard. Because whatever cologne he was wearing smelled amazing. The intoxicating mixture of sweet and earthy was delicious and you drank in the scent like you were deprived. Jevil always smelled good, but you really liked this cologne that he was wearing. Not only did he smell good, but he looked good too. The casual band t-shirt under a black hoodie really worked well in his favour and fit his bad boy persona well. And you loved that persona of his. It commanded attention. Specifically, your attention. And you gave it willingly and with zero abandon. Not once were you able to take your eyes of him. Every movement he made was fascinating to you. It was interesting to see him ponder over which movie was best for you and had you wondering just what his thought process was. When he finally settled on a movie, his face brightened as he smiled and grabbed a title.

“Ah, this one is great. It’s real funny.” He said as he handed you the movie. “It’ll have you rolling.”

“Then it’s perfect.”

You signed before looking down at the colourful case. On it was a trio of Darkners standing next to each other with huge smiles on their faces. What the movie was about was left ambiguous from the case, so all you could do was take Jevil’s word that it was funny. You smiled and handed the case back to Jevil before getting up onto your feet, leaving Jevil to handle the DVD player. You took a step back and looked at Jevil’s movie collection as a whole one last time.

“You know. My mom would love the set up you have.” You started, “She is a movie aficionado too. Though she likes to go to the movie theatre to watch her movies.”

Jevil struggled to get to his feet. You reached out to help him and he took hold of your hand. He almost pulled you down onto him as he got up. Once he was up on his feet, he stumbled forward towards you and with sneaky movements, wrapped his arms around you to steady himself. He stayed like that for a long time, all the while, sniffing at your hair.

“That’s my kind of mom. Though it’s pretty expensive, to actually go to the theatre.” He whispered as he took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of your hair.

“Yeah. But that doesn’t stop her.” You silently giggled as his hot breath tickled at your ear.

“Hmmm . . . “ He hummed. “I’d love to meet her and tell her thanks for birthing such a wonderful woman.”

Your face burned at his kind words. “You’d meet my parents? Really?”

“Yeah, tomorrow if you want. We can go.” He let go of you and smiled, his sharp teeth glinting in the light.

“Wait, you don’t know what you are getting yourself into. My parents are . . .”

“Calm down, lovie, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” He patted you on the shoulder. . “Besides, it’ll be fun meeting my future parents.”

You stared at him in complete awe. He was being serious. He really wanted to meet your parents. You couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t been that long since the two of you had started dating, only about a month. And already, he wanted to meet your parents. But you supposed it was only fair. He had you meet Seam, who Jevil said was like family. So, in a way, you met Jevil’s family. You supposed that he only wanted to make it fair by meeting yours. It was just wild to think of. In every television show you saw and book you read where such a situation was brought up, the boyfriend was always worried about meeting the girlfriend’s parents. You had expected the same. But no, Jevil was excited about meeting your parents. Even going so far as to call them his future parents. It brought a huge smile to your face as his excited smile infected you.

“Hey, I know, why don’t you write them a letter explaining ur visit tomorrow.” Jevil suddenly suggested.

He didn’t give you a chance to answer before he zoomed off to the other room. It wasn’t long before he returned with a sheet of paper and a pen in his hands. He gestured for you to follow him in the kitchen. You followed after him and watched as he set the paper and pen down on the table.

“Ok, so I thought that maybe you could write ‘hey mom and dad, I'm just bringing my super handsome and wonderful boyfriend over to meet you.’” He said with a bit theatrics.

You had to hold back your laughter. “I’m not writing that.”

“Okay okay, how about . . .”

“Just leave it to me.” You signed confidently. “I know exactly what to write.”

You sat down at the table and immediately started writing. The words flowed from you with ease and before you knew it, you had finished the short letter. You handed it to Jevil so he could read what you had wrote. He scanned over it with great interest. Once he had finished, the hand that held the letter glowed a deep purple. The purple magic slowly enveloped the letter, allowing Jevil to let go of the paper and have it float in the air. With a snap of his fingers, the paper disappeared into the ether, leaving behind a puff of purple smoke and a burning smell. You fanned at your nose, in hopes of keeping yourself from coughing and sneezing from the smoke. It took some time but once the smoke had cleared, you looked to Jevil who had a big smile on his face. His golden eyes locked onto you and made you slightly nervous. Something in them screamed mischievous.

“You liked it?” You asked. “The letter?”

“Yeah, except you called me silly.” He said, his smile getting bigger and bigger. “No one calls me silly and gets away with it.”

“But you are silly.” You signed as you turned from him and started walking back to the living room. “Super silly for wanting to meet my parents.”

“Oh really?” Jevil drawled.

You felt Jevil’s hands suddenly at your waist. The unexpected touch stopped you in your tracks. You looked at him curiously only to see an evil little smile on his face. He was up to no good, you could feel it. But before you could ask him what he was up to, he started tickling you mercilessly. The sensation overwhelmed you instantly making you nearly fell to the ground. Your silent laughter mixed with Jevil’s, making a cacophony of playful noise. You tried to escape Jevil’s wrath. But every attempt was met with him pulling you back to his torture. Tears dotted your eyes as his torment continued.

“Regret calling me silly yet?”

You nodded your head wildly.

“Good.” He said, his fingers coming to a halt. “Now we can go watch movies.”

You were breathing hard as you looked to Jevil, a devilish smile was plastered on his face. He had enjoyed that too much. Way too much. The silly fool. You were about to playfully accuse him of being mean when he took hold of your hand and led you to the living room. Once in the cream coloured room, he plopped down onto the sofa, pulling you down onto him and wrapping his arms around your waist. You were still feeling rather ticklish, tensing a little at his gentle touch. He chuckled at you, making you shoot him a look.

“Menaie.” You signed.

“I love you too.” He kissed your cheek. “And next time, don’t call me silly for wanting to meet my future parents.”

★~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-★-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~★

He hated to admit it, but he was silly. Super silly. So silly and full of nerves that he thought he was going to vomit. How had he thought that meeting Harley’s parents so soon was a good idea? What was wrong with him? Jevil looked at himself in the mirror and couldn’t answer the question. Here he was, dressed in jeans and a light blue polo shirt, hoping that he wasn’t making a mistake in meeting her parents too soon. He felt like a doofus, wearing these kinds of preppy clothes. They didn’t fit him and not in the sense that they didn’t fit his body, though the shirt was a bit tight and showcased his muscles a bit too much. But more that he didn’t look right in the clothes. He was a rocker, through and though. So, to wear such preppy looking clothes was weird. He tried everything to make it less awkward. He popped the collar and then flattened it back down, he buttoned and unbuttoned the shirt. But nothing worked. Just as nothing worked to calm his anxious mind. The thoughts were racing. What if her parents didn’t like him? What if he made of fool of himself? And not in the good way. All these thoughts coagulated into a giant nerve-wracking mess that had him thinking of his biological parents. Oh man, he hadn’t thought of them in a long time, so to think of them now was a little alarming. He supposed it was because he was worried that Harley’s parents would treat him like his parents did. But no, that was ridiculous. Harley’s parents were probably nice Darkners if they were able to raise such sweet woman. But he had never met a girlfriend’s parents before. He didn’t know what to expect.

“No, don’t freak out about this. Her parents are going to love you.” He whispered to himself. “Now if only I could find some love for this outfit.”

A sudden soft knocking at his front door got him out of his thoughts. He knew exactly who it was and nearly ran out of his bedroom to greet her. Once at the door, Jevil opened it and found himself in awe of the petite woman who stood in front of him. Harley looked beyond cute in her frilly pink floral dress. Her long dark hair was up in a ponytail, leaving the remainder of her long curly locks to flow down her back. She looked like she was ready to go on a picnic. But what really got him was the fact that she wasn’t wearing her mask. Even though he had made her promise to not wear the thing around him, she still did it on occasion. And he understood. She was uncomfortable without it, so he didn’t pressure her. But it was such a rare thing to see her without it that Jevil thought he had forgotten what she looked like without it. As such, he drank her all in. God, everything about her was gorgeous. From the soft contours of her baby face to the beautiful honey glow of her chocolate skin. She was beautiful. It was just a shame that she didn’t see it. But he supposed that it was alright, he could see it for her.

“Wow.” She signed; a soft blush gracing her cheeks. “You look different.”

“You don’t like it.”

“I didn’t say that.” She said as she brought a hand to his bicep, her blush getting worse and covering her whole face. “I didn’t say that at all.”

“Oh, so you like what you see?” He asked, his tone a bit more suggestive than what he was going for.

She didn’t even hesitate to answer him. “Yes.”

Jevil felt his face warm at her words. God, he loved it when she was brutally honest and blunt with her words. It made her say things he never thought she would say. Thing he thought she would be too shy to say aloud. Her occasional bluntness made her fierce and downright sexy in his eyes. That wasn’t to say that he didn’t like her shy side, he did. He loved everything about her. But sometimes, she just caught him off guard with her words. Now was one of those times. Looking to her hand on his upper arm then back to her, Jevil smirked and them flexed his muscles. The resulting little gasp he heard from her was all he needed in his life. He knew he got her good with the gesture. Now as to what she was thinking to make her face blush that hard, he didn’t know. At least he pretended not to know. After all, his sweet little innocent girlfriend wouldn’t have inappropriate and naughty thoughts about him. That wasn’t her. She was much to innocent. However, the way her face brightened at his flexing made him wonder. Jevil wanted to ask, but ultimately decided to let her have her lewd thoughts to herself. There was no need to pry it out of her. Especially since she wore her emotions and thoughts on her sleeve. No, there was plenty of time to talk with her about things like that. For now, he decided to keep the conversation wholesome. Not just for her sake, but for his too.

“You think your parents will like the outfit?” He asked suddenly, grabbing her attention once again.

It took her a moment to fully come back to him, but when she did, she nodded her head. “Yup, and they will like you too.”

“I really hope so.” Jevil muttered to himself.

Grateful that she didn’t hear him, Jevil carefully guided her onto the path that led to the castle. The two of them walked in silence. The walk itself was quick as they soon found themselves climbing the stairs to the castle and entering it from the back door. But the walk was also quiet. Too quiet. The quiet stretching over them like a thick fog. He knew what she wanted to ask him. It was what everyone tended to want to ask him once he spilled the beans on his more family-like relationship with Seam. She wanted to know about his true family, his mother and father. Why he wasn’t talking about his parents. He knew that was it because she was doing a horrible job of hiding her inquiry. She kept looking to him with that questionable look in her grey eyes and then looking away. For some reason she wasn’t asking, like she was too nervous to bring up the subject. And though he didn’t want to talk about it, it was better than having her give him such a questioning look every five seconds, even if it was cute. The only problem was that he wasn’t sure where to begin with his story. No matter where he started with his tale, it was bound to garner her sympathy, which he didn’t want. He didn’t want her to feel sorry for him or to think less of him. All this time, he had been making it on his own without the pity of others and he didn’t want to start the pity party with Harley. He sighed and decided to just start blurting it out. The sooner he got it out and in the open, the better.

“You wanna know why I’m not insisting you meet my parents.” He said, the statement was more a fact than a question.

Harley hesitated for a moment as if not sure whether to expose her desire to know or not before making her decision and nodding her head. “Only if you want to talk about it.”

Not really, but he spoke anyway. “They abandoned me when I was thirteen. They didn’t want me to pursue being a performer. But when I did behind their backs, they disowned me.”

He saw her expression change almost instantly. From genuine curiosity about his life to sadness and what looked to be pity. He knew she was going to do that, which was why he wasn’t as irritated as he normally would have been with anyone else. Still he wished that she didn’t. But he knew what was next from her. It was what was always said to him when he told the ‘sad’ tale. He could already feel his temper starting to flare. But he didn’t want to be mad at her for her kindness. It was just upsetting that people felt the need to pity him after they learned of his backstory. It was unnecessary. But Harley was his beloved girlfriend. Of course she was going to show kindness to him after hearing what she just heard. And he prepared himself for it. Jevil took a couple deep calming breaths and let his rising temper simmer down into a dull roar. He refused to go off on her just because she was being kind. That wasn’t fair to her. And right on cue, she signed the words he knew she was going to sign.

“Jevil, I’m so sorry. . .”

“Let me stop you right there, love.” He interrupted. “I don’t want your pity. I’ve been managing and hustling for a long time and never received any pity from anyone. I won’t start now with you.”

“I understand.” She started. “But I wasn’t going to pity you. Maybe I would if I knew you weren’t well off, but clearly, you’ve made it in this cruel world. I have no pity for you because you are fine.”

He smiled at her words. Of course she understood him. How could he not have realized that she would? What’s more, he was certain that she wasn’t judging him or seeing him as anything less. She was a blessing. His blessing. It was still so hard to believe that she was his. That they were dating at all. It was a blessing indeed. Now if only his parents could see how well off he was and how loved he was by the girl of his dreams. They would be regretting so much and eating their words. And he would have rubbed it in their faces too, if he only felt like reaching out to them. But he didn’t, just like he didn’t really want to continue this conversation. And so he let the conversation die. Harley didn’t try to revive it. No, all she did was take hold of his hand and gave him a little squeeze. Her message was clear as day. She was there for him. And he could wish for any more than that.

They continued their walk in comfortable silence. Passing by the familiar decorations without so much as a blink, it wasn’t long before they were walking out of the castle and through the main gates. The Ruddin guards let them pass without a fuss and soon they were in the scarlet forest. Their soft footfalls had the fallen leaves that covered the path, crunching loudly with every step. Jevil revelled in the sound as it reminded him of the autumn season. The forest was always in an autumn state despite that the current season was summer. It was weird but it was something that ever Darkner in the Dark World just excepted as truth, no questions asked. And he wasn’t going to be the first Darkner to start asking those puzzling questions, nope. Besides, he liked the forest because it was in perpetual autumn. The musky earth smell of the trees and leaves was delicious to him. And thought the orange and reds of the trees were obnoxious, he found himself liking it more than the darker colour palate of the other areas that made up the Dark World. The vibrant colours made the area stick out like a sore thumb. And that was saying nothing of its constant autumnal climate. The forest was just an odd place. In fact, the whole Dark World was odd and filled with odd people. The realization made Jevil wonder more about his future parent-in-laws.

“What are your parents like, Harley?” He asked.

Harley gave him a thoughtful look before signing. “Well, as you know, my mom is a movie fanatic. She is also a bit flighty and rather forgetful.”

“Like mother, like daughter.” Jevil chuckled.

“Ha ha, very funny.” She poked him in the stomach before continuing. “My dad on the other hand is quiet and rather stern. He also has a bit of a temper.”

“So, you’re saying I need to be warry of your dad.”

She was about to shake her head no but she stopped and looked at him. “Eh . . .maybe.”

“Oh boy.”

Jevil could feel Harley laughing, her little shoulders trembling from the effort. Everything about the silent sound made him wish to be able to hear her laugh for real. But that was impossible. And though he couldn’t hear her laugh, he could imagine the sound of it clearly. Harley seemed like the kind of girl who would have a light and childish sounding laugh. Jevil wished to be able to hear such a sound. But again, impossible. Just like how it was probably impossible to get on her father’s good side. There was a high chance that Harley’s mother would take to him. But stern with a temper. That didn’t bode well for him. From how Harley had described him, her father seemed like the kind of man who wouldn’t tolerate any of Harley’s boyfriends. Jevil could only picture scenes from those romantic comedy movies he owned, where the father gave the promising boyfriend a hard time. It made Jevil a little nervous. He had never experienced that kind of treatment before. How was he supposed to handle it? It was as he was thinking that another realization hit him. Since Harley was an only child and a girl, that meant that her father was over protective of her too. Jevil didn’t know what to do with that information. He was overwhelmed already. What could he do besides except the inevitable? There was no way in hell her father was going to like him.

Jevil sighed in defeat. He wanted to go home and not face the inevitable hatred of Harley’s father. The thought that her father was going to hate him reminded him of his parents and was just a bit too close to home for his liking. But if he went home, that would be him running away from his problems. That was cowardly and he was no coward. He was going to face her father, hatred and all, and show him just how much he loved his daughter. That was the brave thing to do. Feeling oddly inspired, he led Harley to the dimensional door. The walk felt shorter than it actually was. Maybe it was because he was so focused on how he was going to impress Harley’s parents, especially her father, that he didn’t realize they were already at the door. Either way, they were there already. He opened the door and the two of them stepped through. It was the same old, same old to him. But to Harley it wasn’t. She was still pretty new to the dimensional doors and it showed. She was looking around the weird space in complete awe. It was so cute and he couldn’t get enough of her curiosity. The moment ended much too quick as the door to exit the weird pocket dimension came into view. He opened the door and let Harley exit first. Once she was clear, he stepped out of the pocket dimension only to see that they were in the Fields.

He was about to ask Harley where they were going when she took hold of his hand and started leading the way. The scenery changed quickly from the dark blues, purples and reds of the Fields to the dark blues and whites of Castle Town. But even though they were at Castle Town, Harley didn’t lead them in the town itself but to the spacious outskirts of town. Rolling green lawns and colourful two-story houses peppered the land. It was fancy in a simple kind of way and it made Jevil a little jealous of Harley’s upbringing. He could tell just from where her parents lived, that Harley had a spoilt childhood. Nothing like his upbringing in the dirty slums of the town. After all, it was really expensive to have land in the Dark World. Mostly because there wasn’t much of it to give to the people. Just one-half acre was hundreds of thousands of gold. So not many Darkners could afford to live in the outskirts of town, which was spacious with untamed land, let alone have land that they could call their own in the first place. But he supposed that he shouldn’t be too surprised that Harley’s parents had money. Harley was spoilt the moment he met her. And though there was nothing wrong with that, and in fact he loved her for it, he knew he wouldn’t be able to spoil her the way she was used to. He couldn’t afford to live in the outskirts, let alone give her a two-story house. Those things were luxuries that being a freelance performer just couldn’t entertain.

Harley came to a stop in the middle of a cute yet overgrown little cul-de-sac and turned to him. “Welcome to my childhood neighbourhood.”

Jevil looked around in awe at the two-story houses with the manicured front lawns. “I feel out of place.”

“Yeah, this place has that effect on folks. Even me and I grew up here.” She giggled silently at her own words. “Come on, my parent’s house is just up the road.”

Jevil followed closely after Harley, afraid that he was going to lose her and never find his way out of the fancy cul-de-sac. He felt so out of place here. His kind didn’t belong here. He was too rugged for this kind of fancy, too much a dirty city-slicker. And most important, too poor. As he looked around and took in his surroundings, he could feel everything judging him. From the houses, to the lawns, to the invisible eyes of the rich Darkners who called this ritzy place their home. They were all judging him for being in their area. Judging him for his life choices. It choked the life out of him and made him nervous.  He looked down at his clothes, unable to look at the neighbourhood anymore, and was grateful he decided to wear the preppy mess. If nothing else, the clothes helped him to blend into this ritzy neighbourhood from the outside. On the inside, he was as much of a foreigner as an alien would be to the general Darkner populous. It was a horrible feeling. But he didn’t get to stew in it as he felt something soft and warm take hold of his hand. He looked up and saw that Harley was looking at him as she held his hand. She gave a gentle little squeeze before letting go so she could talk.

“You’re okay, Jevil.” She said with a little reassuring smile. “My parents are going to love you. Trust me.”

He nodded his head, his voice lost a while ago.

“Now!” She clapped her hands together, breaking the spell of anxiety the neighbourhood had placed on him. “Look alive because we’re here.”

“We are?” Jevil tried to hide his panic. “Already?”

“Yup.”

Jevil watched as Harley climbed the small flight of steps that led up to an adorable two-story baby-blue house, overgrown with ivy. Wild flowers of various colours surrounded the home, giving the area a wonderful floral smell that was welcoming. Harley knocked on the door and almost immediately, it was answered. Standing in the doorway was a short female humanoid Darkner. She had strong green eyes that were familiar in the sense that they were just as piercing as her daughter’s. Her long dark hair was in pigtails, making her look younger than what she really was. Atop her head were sharp little horns, that if used properly, could cause some serious damage. Excluding the horns, the woman looked so much like Harley that Jevil thought he was seeing double. The two women even wore the same kind of clothes. The two of them both wearing colourful summer sundresses. The only different being that Harley’s mother had dirt on her dress and hands, and looked like she had been playing in the mud. The woman smiled big when she saw who was at the door. Immediately, she took Harley in her arms and squeezed.

“Harley! It’s so good to see you, dear.” She said, her voice clear like water.

“Hi mom.” Harley signed once her mother had stopped hugging her, a huge smile on her face.

Harley’s mother peeked around her daughter’s shoulder and looked right at him. “Ah, and this must be Jevil.”

“Hello, ma’am.” Jevil said awkwardly.

She walked up to him. He towered over her much like he did her daughter. But even with that fact, the little woman was in control of him. Her piercing green eyes sized him up and down. The power behind them made him shrink down to her. She was strong. Not in the sense that Jevil was with magic, but in terms of just being a mother. It was obvious that she would tear him apart if he were to ever hurt Harley. And though that probably wasn’t what she was trying to convey to him, it was what he saw anyway. As for what she actually saw in him, Jevil could only guess. Maybe she saw that he was no good for her daughter. Maybe she saw that he didn’t belong in this neighbourhood. That he was poor city-slicer trash. He didn’t know and it was driving him crazy. She stared at him for what felt like a long time. He was starting to get nervous under her intense gaze. Then, she reached up and hugged him tight.

“Now, now. Don’t call me ma’am. I’m not that old.” She laughed as she patted his back. “Just call me mom.”

“Yes, ma’ . . .” Jevil started only to catch himself. “Yes, mom.”

“So much better.” She released him from her hold and gave him a huge grin. “Now lets get you two inside.”

Jevil followed after the two women and entered the house. What greeted him were green vibrant plants giving the home a delicious earthy smell, books of various colours and other decorative clutter objects scattered all over the place. Not even the cream coloured walls were safe from the clutter as they were filled with wooden shelves holding colourful movie boxes and books as well as pictures of what he could only assume were family members he had yet to meet. Jevil stepped in further and was amazed at everything he saw. Harley’s parents had a little bit of everything just about everywhere. And even though the house was cluttered to the brim and looked like it was about to explode from stuff overload, it was all neatly placed and organized enough to give the feel of well-lived in. In a way, the house reminded Jevil of Seam’s home. Cramped and filled with amazing knick-knacks that no one remembered the location of. Once in the living room, Jevil looked around the space with awe. The walls were filled with pictures of people and places. A few in particular caught his eye. He stepped in to get a closer look. In the pictures was a little girl with long dark hair and piercing grey eyes, holding a teddy bear. She was adorable and looked rather familiar.

“That’s me as a child holding my bear, Kefka.” Harley signed. “I think I was five when this picture was taken.”

“So cute.”

“That she was.” Harley’s mother interrupted, a triumphant smile on her face. “And she still is.”

“Mom~” Harley whined.

“Don’t complain, she’s right. You are cute.” Jevil spoke, his words making Harley’s face light up like a Christmas tree.

“Thank you, Jevil.” Harley’s mom patted him on the arm before turning to Harley. “Now then, let me go fetch your father.”

He watched as Harley’s mother left the room before turning back to the pictures on the wall. There were so many pictures of a young Harley. Ones from her first days at school and ones from the school plays that she participated in. There were even some just of her playing with her toys. All of these memories were fascinating to look at and spoke so much about the family. They cherished the small every day moments and turned them into memories that they could hold onto for the rest of their lives. He turned to the present-day Harley and suddenly realized that he was going to be able to participate in making memories with her. Photos, videos and journal entries. All detailing their little moments together. It was a little overwhelming. He had never done anything like that before, keeping memories. Normally, he never paid any attention to the little moments, often preferring to just drink the memories away. He never thought to keep them as keepsakes and trinkets. There had never been anything to keep like that. But he was with Harley now. That changed a lot of things. She grew up keeping memories. It was what she was used to. That meant that she was bound to keep the little things that happened between them. That thought made him excited. He could learn from her how to make and cherish memories. And he wanted to learn that skill badly. He wanted to start making as many memories with her as soon as possible.

“What?” Harley suddenly signed to him, confusion colouring her grey eyes. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”

Was he smiling? He hadn’t noticed. Regardless, he shook his head before speaking. “It’s nothing.”

She gave him a questioning look, almost like she didn’t believe him but let it go as footsteps echoed into the room. Jevil turned to the living room entrance and saw Harley’s mother walk in with a huge wolf-man towering right behind her. Grey fluffy fur covered the man-beast all over and was matted with dirt. He wore no shirt which allowed his powerful muscles to show freely. The guy was ripped but still, he had a bit of a belly. The only clothes the man-beat wore were dark blue jean shorts, and they were ripped on the knee and caked with dirt. Jevil stared in awe at the huge man-beast only to have sharp yet familiar grey eyes glare back at him. The intensity and heat the wolf-man's glare held gave Jevil pause. He had seen those hateful eyes before. In his parents when they had found out he was performing. The memory made Jevil nervous all over again. This was exactly what he had been worried about. And as much as he tried to keep Harley’s father away from the memory of his biological father and his hatred, he just couldn’t when the man-beast was glowering at him like that. The hatred was strong and it conveyed so much without the wolf-man needed to say a damn word. He would kill Jevil if he hurt Harley in any way. And unlike how Harley’s mother was strong in terms of just being a mom, Harley’s father was truly strong, physically and magically. A force to be reckoned with. A force that Jevil most certainly did not want to tango with.

“Dad, this is my boyfriend, Jevil. Jevil, this is my dad.” Harley signed carefully.

Jevil swallowed his nerves and held his hand out to the man. “Hello, sir.”

Harley’s father glared at Jevil’s hand before speaking. “Sit.”

“Dad, please don’t. . .” Harley started, a worried look on her face.

“I said sit.”

Harley was about to protest her father’s command when Jevil took hold of her hand. Shed gave him a concerned look, but he shook his head and led her to the cream coloured sofa. The two of them sank down in the plush comfort of the sofa together and waited for Harley’s parents. Harley’s father started towards them but stopped when her mother placed a hand on his arm. The look on her face spoke volumes, allowing her to not speak a word to him. The silence between them made Jevil wonder if the giant wolf-man understood what his wife was trying to say. Or if he was listening to her. Jevil got his answer when the wolf-man stomped over and sat in, what was clearly his, recliner chair. Harley’s father pinned Jevil with a sharp glare. It almost felt as though the man-beast was looking straight through him and seeing something he didn’t like. Jevil didn’t know what to do or how to feel. Was he supposed to look back at her father? Was he supposed to speak first? He didn’t know and it was driving him crazy to be under this kind of pressure. It was a long moment before Harley’s father spoke, his voice commanding and clearly showing that he was not in a playful mood.

“How did you meet my daughter.”

Jevil took a deep breath, gathering his courage, before speaking. “We met at work, sir. She and I are partners in entertaining the King.”

“Hmm. . . “ Her father hummed. “So, you’re the one who gave her a hard time not too long ago.”

Nervous about what he was about to do, Jevil nodded his head. “Yea sir. I admit that I judged Harlequin before getting to know her.”

“And you expect me to believe that you have changed?” The wolf-man crossed his arm across his chest and glowered hard. “That you won’t hurt my daughter with your words.”

“Dad. . .”

“No sir.” Jevil interrupted Harley before she could protest. “I do not. But I do hope that you will allow me to show you that I have changed.”

“Honey, I think Jevil is a keeper.” Harley’s mother finally spoke, eliciting grumbles of displeasure from the wolf-man. “Jevil, dear, tell us about your family.”

“Mom . . .” Harley started to protest.

“It’s okay Harley.” Jevil reassured her before continuing. “I don’t have a family. My parents abandoned me when I was thirteen. I’ve been alone ever since then.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Harley’s mother held up her hands in defence. “I should not have brought it up.”

“It’s okay.” It was a lie, but Jevil didn’t want to make the already intense interrogation even worse.

The room fell into an awkward silence as if no one knew what else to say. The sudden quiet made Jevil antsy as he anticipated more questions. Harley’s parents had been drilling him hard, asking hard questions that Jevil struggled to answer truthfully. Never had he been interrogated like this before. But he understood why it was like this. Harley’s parents were trying to learn about him, trying to figure out if he was a suitable partner for their one and only daughter. He understood, but that didn’t mean that he liked what was happening. He felt like he was on trial for crimes he didn’t commit. It was nerve wracking. And having Harley’s father glaring at him like he was a criminal was just too much. The hatred he felt from the Darkner was too much. It brought back such horrible memories. Memories that Jevil just wished he could get rid of forever and never be bothered by them ever again. But that was not the case. He was destined to deal with it. Just as he had to deal with her father’s hatred until he was able to prove himself worthy. It was going to be hard, he knew that, but he was determined to make it through. He wasn’t going to let this get to him. He was going to make it through and show his future parents just how worthy he was to have Harley as a girlfriend. As if seeing his resolve, Harley’s father finally spoke again.

“Since you have no family-life experience, and that is all my daughter knows, what then are your intensions with my daughter?”

Jevil couldn't believe the sudden easy question. It was a strange departure from the hard questions he was just starting to get used to. Maybe it was a sign. A sign that Harley’s father was warming up to him. Or seeing his worth. Jevil wanted to jump with joy. But he held the emotion in andl treasured the moment before speaking.

“I wish to build a family with her.” Jevil started. “To build memories with her. I’ve never had those things growing up, so I would like to have them now, as an adult.”

“Oh, he’s good.” Harley’s mother muttered.

“See dad.” Harley started. “Jevil isn’t so bad.”

Her father turned his head away and mumbled some incoherent words. Whether that meant that he was finally accepted by the wolf-man or at the very least, not hated as much, Jevil didn’t know. For all he knew, the wolf-man's mutters were a sign of defeat. Who knew? What Jevil did know was that he was not being rejected completely by the man and completely accepted by his new mother. It was a magical feeling, one that had him feeling over the moon excited. He had his parents. And yes, his new father hadn’t quite taken to him yet, but Jevil was determined to work on that. He was going to make the man-beast love him, no matter what. Even if it took years to do, Jevil was willing to do it. He was willing to go through the motions of forcing that big lug to love him. He already had a few fun ideas in mind and he couldn’t wait to get started on implementing them. Realizing that he was smiling like a big doofus, he turned to Harley, who was also smiling.

“Well, are you ready to go?”

“Do we have to?” Jevil asked, knowing what the answer would be.

Harley rolled her eyes. “Yes, we have to practice our new play.”

“Oh, you’re leaving already?” Harley’s mother asked, her eyes showing a bit of sadness. “But you just got here.”

“I know mom, but we . . . ” Harley signed.

“I know, you need to practice. After all, you work for the king now.” Harley’s mother got up from her chair, her eyes no longer showing sadness but pride. “Well, make sure to not be strangers and come by more often.”

“We will, right Jevil?” Harley looked to him as she got up.

“Yup.” Jevil got to his feet. “It was a pleasure to meet you both.”

“Likewise.” Harley’s mother said with a smile. “Oh, this is so exciting. My baby finally has a boyfriend!”

“Mom!”

Jevil chuckled at his girlfriend’s torment as he started to follow her to the door. Before he could leave the living room, a strong hand grabbed his arm and held him back as the ladies left the room. Jevil knew who it was but turned back anyway. Harley’s father was standing mere inches from him, his fierce grey eyes shooting daggers at Jevil. Standing this close to the man-beast, Jevil was almost the same height as him. Almost the same build too. But the man-beast was much stronger in terms of strength and it showed. Jevil thought that he was about to break his arm, the man-beast was holding on so tight. But despite the feeling, Jevil stood his ground and looked the man-beat straight in the eyes. He refused to back down now, not after everything he had gone through with the Darkner.

“Sir?”

“You may have my daughter and wife fooled, but you’re not fooling me. I know your kind, so I am only going to say this once.” He whispered. “Take care of my little girl, or else. I’ll be watching you.”

The wolf-man let go of his arm and went to go stand by his wife. Feeling uneasy from the menacing threat, it took a second for Jevil to regain his composure. And here he thought that he had made progress with the wolf-man. He hadn’t made any progress with him at all. If anything, Jevil was certain that Harley’s father hated him even more now. And here he had thought up fun ways for them to hang out and get to know each other better. No, there was no way he could go through with those plans now. Her father hated him. But he couldn’t think of it right now. Harley and her mother were waiting for him and he didn’t want to let Harley’s father know that he had scared him into submission. Taking a deep breath, Jevil went to stand by Harley and joined her in saying goodbye to her parents. They then left the house and started on their way back to Card Town.

“Well, that went a lot better than I thought it would.” Harley signed.

“How do you figure. You dad hates me.”

“Not true.” She looked to him. “If he hated you, he would have lost his temper. But he didn’t, not once. Not even when he was threatening you.”

“You saw that?” Jevil looked down to her, an incredulous look on his face.

“Yup.” She sighed. “Don’t take his threat to heart. He likes you. Trust me.”

Jevil wasn’t sure if they were talking about the same Darkner, but he decided to trust her. After all, Harley would know her father best. If she said that her father took to him, then who was he to question? Jevil just hoped that she was right. He didn’t want to go through their relationship walking on egg shells around her father. Such a thing was just too similar to what he had to do around his biological parents. He didn’t want to go through that again.

“Alright, I’ll trust you.” He started. “Besides, I have some fun plans to make him love me and I want to run them by you.”

Harley laughed, her little shoulders trembling with the effort. “Okay. But just know that my father would love anything you decide to do.”

“Good, because these plans are a doozy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 12. I tried to keep this chapter light and fun. Of course, there are some parts that I don’t think came out the way I wanted it to. And the chapter is a bit on the long side. But that happens sometimes. Anyway, we have a few more happy chapters before I get to the meat of this story. Hopefully you guys will continue to enjoy
> 
> As always, feel free to check out my social media
> 
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	13. Acquiescence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few years of dating, Jevil meets up with Harley's father and asks for her hand in marriage

Jevil walked through the forest. His destination, Seam’s shop. There was something important he had to discuss with the old Darkner. Something he had been churning over and over in his head for the last three years that he and Harley had been dating. And now it was time to finally speak his thoughts aloud to someone. He couldn’t hold them in any longer. He wanted to ask Harley for her hand in marriage but was struggling to figure out if it was time yet. If he had waited long enough. He had read in an article long ago that it was best to wait three years before asking for marriage as it gave time to learn that person. And so, he did as the article told him and waited. And he did learn a lot about Harley. Like the fact that when she was on her period, she craved pickles. He also used the time to get to know her father. He was a tough nut to crack, but Jevil had refused to give up. For three years, Jevil stayed talking to the man beast whenever he could and forced her father to hang out in a variety of locations Jevil thought he might enjoy. All in order to get the wolf Darkner to crack. There were times where Jevil thought that the man beast would never break and that giving up would be the better option. And even now, Jevil wasn’t sure he was on the wolf man’s good side. But he wanted to believe that he was on the man beast’s good side. Enough to be fully accepted into their family. But he would know for sure until he talked to Seam to figure out if he had waited long enough and done enough. And goodness, he hoped that he had. Waiting three years had been torturous. Especially since his person goal was to wait until marriage to make love to Harley. And though he wanted rather badly to marry Harley, it wasn’t because of his desire to make love to her but more because he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Surely it had to be time to take the plunge into married life. Surely, he had waited long enough.

Jevil found himself walking with more purpose through the forest. Orange and red leaves obscured his vision as he walked to the dimensional door. Even after three years, the Scarlet Forest had remained in the same autumnal state it had always been in. Maybe there were more leaves on the ground as the path seemed to be fully covered now, but he couldn’t be sure. Regardless, he knew the path that he needed to follow like the back of his hand. And he followed it to the tee. It was no time at all before he found himself at the fork in the path and taking an immediate right. What was left visible of the path practically disappeared completely into foliage as where he was headed was less traveled by Darkners. It was a straight shot to the dimensional door that stood proudly in the middle of the forest. However, with how much the same the forest looked; one could easily get turned around and never make it to the door. Jevil wasn’t worried though and he walked the hidden path with confidence and ease. Within mere moments, he was standing in front of the forest’s dimensional door. It’s dark oak a departure from the rest of the light oak forest, making the door stand out like a sore thumb. Not wanting to waste more time, Jevil opened the door and stepped through. Instantly, his senses were overwhelmed with swirling colours of various shades. It was like fairies had thrown up in the space, it was so colourful. It wasn’t long before Jevil came across the door that led out. He opened the door and was greeted with the rolling green hills of the Fields. The hills went on for kilometres and were just begging to be ran on. And a part of him wanted to answer that call and run his heart out, but he stayed focused and went towards the drab little shop that his one true friend called home.

The little brown knickknack’s shop stood out like a sore thumb against the green and reds of the field fauna. It didn’t help that the tiny store was practically falling apart at the seams. Bits and pieces of the siding were peeling off, revealing the drywall underneath. And one of the front windows had a crack in the glass panes. The store looked like it was about to collapse under its own weight. Yet for some reason, Jevil couldn’t picture Seam with anything else. The broken and worn aesthetic fit the old Darkner’s personality perfectly. The rugged store had seen just as many hardships as its owner had. Inside of its walls held wisdom. Wisdom that Jevil was desperately searching for as he closed the distance between him and the store door. Once he stood in front of the wooden door, he opened it and was shocked when a little bell rang announcing his entrance. Jevil looked at the little gold bell with annoyance as he remembered that Seam had it installed specifically for Jevil a couple months ago, all in hopes of stopping the jester’s pranks. Gone were the days where Jevil could sneak up on Seam and mess in his store without him knowing. Now the old Darkner knew the second someone entered his shop. And as if the bell was a magic summoner, Seam appeared and carefully took his place behind the counter. With a sigh and missing the old days where someone could prank someone else and get away with it, Jevil went to the counter and leaned against it.

“Jevil,” Seam started with a smile. “What can I do for you?”

Jevil could feel the old Darkner’s triumphant gloating from his words and the little smile on his lips. And though it upset Jevil to have his favourite prank place ruined like this, he refused to let it show. Instead, he focused on why he came here. Gearing up his courage with a deep breath, Jevil finally spoke.

“I came seeking some advice.”

“Oh.” Seam practically sang as he leaned back in his chair.

Jevil took that as a sign to continue. “You see, I want to ask Harley to marry me.”

“I see.” Seam started. “It’s about time. I thought you would never get the nerve to ask her. How long has it been since you two started dating?”

“Three years.” Jevil answered.

“Three years . . .” Seam said mostly to himself before directing his next question to Jevil. “What took you so long?”

“I read in an article to wait that long.” Jevil explained. “Something about learning more about the person before marrying them.”

It sounded silly now that he was saying it out loud to someone who would listen to him. Waiting three years to learn about someone? It sounded more like commitment issues. And if Jevil hadn’t been reassuring Harley of his devotion to her, she would have thought he did have commitment issues with such a long wait. It was silly article and he was silly for believing it as truth. He could have been happily married to Harley by now if he had just gone ahead with his gut feelings instead of listening to some article, written by someone who had no clue what they were talking about. So much time, wasted. And yes, he did learn a lot about Harley. But he could have learned everything about her while being married to her. As if a husband would take the time to learn his wife. It was silly to think that such a thing couldn’t have happened. But what was done, was done. He had waited the three long and agonising years. There had been heated squabbles between he and Harley about silly things just as there had been absolute adoration and genuine romantic moments. Did he regret the long wait? No, not really. But he did see now that it was silly to have waited for so long. He just hoped that Seam wouldn’t call him out for it.

“Ah, I see.” Seam rubbed at his chin. “And what do you need my advice for?”

“I want to know if now is the time to ask her.”

Jevil could barely finish his sentence before Seam spoke. “Of course it is time. It has been time.”

“Oh.” Jevil looked down, embarrassed that he had wasted so much time.

“What you are going to struggle with is getting her father to agree to let you marry her.” Seam said, his voice solemn. “From the stories you have told me, he doesn’t like you very much.”

Jevil looked up at that. Seam was right. He still had to ask Harley’s Wolf-man of a father for permission to marry his daughter. He had forgotten entirely about that part. The realization made him nervous. There was no way in hell that Harley’s father was going to agree to let him marry her. Her father hated him and definitely didn’t trust him with Harley. Jevil hadn’t given the man-beast any reason to think that he was doing anything to harm Harley, but still, it didn’t matter. And even though Jevil had been trying so hard to get the man-wolf to like him, he honestly hadn’t made that much progress. Every attempt resulted in failure as Harley’s father refused to entertain Jevil in spending quality time together. And that wasn’t even mentioning speaking to each other, which her father refused to do as well. It sucked hardcore. Harley’s father was a tough nut to crack, and Jevil hadn’t made even a dent. How was he supposed to ask the man if he could marry his one and only precious daughter and not get his head chewed off? Jevil could imagine the words coming out of his mouth and Harley’s father having a conniption. It was a frightening image that made Jevil shudder.

“Do I have to ask for her father’s permission?”

“Of course you do.” Seam scolded. “You don’t want to be rude to the family by taking their only daughter away without them knowing.”

Jevil sighed. He hated to admit it but once again, his old friend was right. And Jevil hated it. He could think of a billion things he would rather do besides ask Harley’s father for permission to marry his daughter. But what could he do? He couldn’t keep running from it. If he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the love of his life, then he had to put on his big boy pants. He had to accept the inevitable and just do it. There was only one path he could take. And that path led to spending time with Harley’s dad.

“Fine,” Jevil muttered as he stood up from the counter. “I’ll do it. I’ll ask her dad for his permission.”

“Very good.” Seam leaned on his elbows. “So how are you going to ask?”

“I have no clue.” Jevil said as he started to leave the store. “I’ll let you know how everything goes.”

Jevil opened the door, the little bell signalling his departure. His mind was racing as he walked back to the dimensional door. How was he supposed to ask this question and not get chewed out? He supposed just being blunt about it would be the best way to go. Would doing it face to face be a good option? Or would just calling the man be better? No, calling would show that he was scared of confronting the man-beast. It would be disgraceful. He had to do it face to face, it was the only option. The problem became where he would take Harley’s father so he could ask. It had to be a place that Harley’s dad would like. But what was a place that he would like? From what Jevil could figure out, Harley’s father didn’t like anything. No, Jevil couldn’t think like that of his future father-in-law. It was rude. And surely there was a place that Harley’s dad would agree to meet him at. Jevil thought on it for a good while before an idea hit him like a brick. His newly hatched plan was bound to work. It was flawless. And more importantly, Harley’s dad was bound to like the location. That was all the Jevil wanted. Immediately, he grabbed his cell phone and dialled up Harley’s parents.

“Hello, sir. I would like to know if you are free tomorrow.”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jevil stepped out of his steaming bathroom and went straight to his dresser. He still couldn’t believe that Harley’s dad had actually said yes to his proposal. In all the times that Jevil had asked the grouchy Darkner to hang out, he had always said no. But today was different and now they were going to spend the day playing a round of mini golf at the amusement park. At first, the idea had been just a joke that Jevil had thought up while walking. His reasoning being that most old male Darkners liked to play golf. But then the idea had really started to sound good to him and before he knew it, he was calling Harley’s father and asking him for a round. At first, Jevil thought that Harley’s father was going to say no, like he always did. And it had sounded like he was going to, that is until Jevil had mentioned mini golf and not being so good at it. Then the man-beast had changed his mind and the tone of his voice had become smug, like he was wanting to kick Jevil’s ass at mini golf. And Jevil wouldn’t be surprised if that was the wolf-man’s motivation. Even so, Jevil wasn’t going to go down without a fight. He was going to try his very best. Not just to win a game of mini golf, but also to win Harley’s hand in marriage.

Standing in front of the dresser, Jevil opened the wooden commode and started ripping clothes from it. This was your typical casual occasion on a rather hot day. Nothing out of the ordinary. And yet nothing looked right for this date. All he really had for casual ware were a bunch of ripped up band-tees and jeans. All of which were too hot to wear if he wanted to spend any length of time outside or were too inappropriate for Harley’s father. And the one polo and khaki combo he had were in the wash. Jevil weighed his options. They didn’t look good. Harley’s father already thought Jevil a no-good hoodlum and these clothes were only going to strengthen that resolve. And there was no time to go to the store to get a more proper set of clothes. Jevil sighed. Only a miracle would keep Harley’s dad from seeing him as a hood rat with these clothes. But what else could he do? Jevil pulled on one of his least vulgar shirts and pulled out a pair of ripped jean shorts. Once the clothing was on, Jevil checked himself out in the mirror. He didn’t look too much like a hoodlum. But he definitely didn’t look like he meshed well with the rest of proper society. Harley’s father was going to have a cow at seeing him and if not that, then he was definitely not going to give his blessings. Jevil sighed again and decided that he wasn’t going to worry with it anymore. So what if Harley’s dad didn’t like what he wore. His clothing was not indicative of his love for Harley. And if her father couldn’t see that then . . .

Jevil left the room and though his mind was telling him to eat something before going, he just couldn’t with all the butterflies doing somersaults in his belly. So, he headed straight to the front door. He left his home but before he got on the road, he looked back towards Harley’s home. Her emerald green lawn was well manicured and the little flower garden she had out front was blooming like crazy. Every part of him wanted to see her, to tell her what he was doing with her father. But he couldn’t. It would ruin the surprise. She had no clue what he was doing, and he needed to keep her like that. He just hated keeping things from her like this. But he strengthened his resolve by telling himself that it was for a good reason. Forcefully burying his desire to see her and talk with her, Jevil started his walk towards the castle gates. His mind was oddly blank and calm during the walk. He was so used to walking the path with Harley that it was weird walking it alone. It was so empty without her by his side, keeping him company with the weird things they always talked about. God, he missed her. And the thing was, she hadn’t even gone anywhere for him to miss her like he was. She was safe, back home, probably sleeping in since it was a nice summer morning. But still, he missed her, and he couldn’t wait to get back home so he could see her. Hopefully he would have good news to bring back to her.

The Ruddin guards snapped him out of his trance with their loud clanking metal armour as they snapped to attention. Jevil was shocked. His mind was so preoccupied that he hadn’t even noticed he had made it to the gates already. It usually took a few minutes to get to the front gates. But with him being out of it, it felt like it had only taken seconds. He had auto-piloted himself all the way here. That could only mean that he was getting too used to the castle and all its samey looking features, that he didn’t even need to pay attention to get to where he wanted to go. Jevil didn’t know how to feel about that. But instead of thinking on it for too long, he continued on his way to the forest. As he neared closer and closer to the dimensional door, his anxiety driven nerves started to flare up and concern clouded his mind. What exactly was he going to do if Harley’s dad said no? The Wolf-man was bound to say it because he didn’t approve of Jevil. In the man-beast’s eyes, Jevil was a no-good useless Darkner who had it out for Harley’s destruction. And even though Jevil tried his best to show her dad that it wasn’t true of him, her father still believed Jevil to be up to no good. So, how was he supposed to persuade a man who thought so little of him, that he should be allowed to marry his daughter? What was he supposed to do if the man beast says no? Begging and grovelling at his feet was an option. The man-beast was bound to like seeing Jevil down on the ground. But what kind of impression would that send to the wolf-man? That Jevil was weak and desperate? Jevil didn’t like that portrayal of himself. He wasn’t weak, nor was he desperate. He was just madly in love with Harley and wanted to spend the rest of his days with her by his side. But was that enough to persuade her father?

Jevil found himself standing in front of the forest’s dimensional door. He opened it and immediately went inside. His senses were bombarded with swirling colours for what felt like forever, until he came across the exiting door. He opened it and found himself standing in the middle of Castle Town. Exiting the pocket space, Jevil made a hard left turn and started walking towards the amusement park. His mind was racing as he set his resolve. His love for Harley was going to have to be enough for the man-beast. Because there was nothing else Jevil could give or show. No amount of begging and grovelling at the wolf-man’s feet was going to show Jevil’s love for Harley. Even if he shouted it all throughout the Dark World, it wouldn’t be enough. So, her dad was just going to have to believe in Jevil and take his word that he loved the man-beast’s daughter. It was all Jevil had and it was all that he could give. Jevil looked up from his thoughts. Up ahead was the giant sign signalling the start of the amusement park. Its illuminated glow lit up the darkened cavern covered sky for kilometres. And like the beacon it was, it attracted many Darkners to it. Jevil was no exception as he too, walked towards it. Surrounding him on all sides were thick crowds of laughing Darkners, both young and old. It was a sight to see. But even more was the massive green archway that signified the entrance of the park. Seeing it again brought back happy memories of his first date with Harley. How she had been so happy seeing the archway and all the fun they had within the park.

Jevil caught himself smiling like an idiot at the memories. Not wanting to be caught unawares smiling by Harley’s father, Jevil worked hard to put back on his serious face as he walked over to a bench. Before he sat down, Jevil looked around the space in search for Harley’s father. When he didn’t see the man-beast, he sat down and waited. The wait felt like an eternity. Every now and then, Jevil would check his watch for the time. Ten minutes. Then twenty. Then thirty. Jevil was about to give up and accept that he had been stood up before he saw the wolf-man walking towards him. Harley’s father was a huge Darkner. About 204 centimetres and made up of just enough muscle and fat to be considered bulky. It was clear that the man-beast was ripped back when he was younger and only now was starting to gain weight due to his wife’s fantastic cooking. The wolf-man was intimidating as his face was in a permanent scowl. Jevil had been told that the Wolf-man could smile and that he did so rather frequently. But Jevil never saw the man-beast smile. Not once. And right now, he looked like he was about to rip someone’s face off. That someone being Jevil’s. The only thing keeping him from being totally unapproachable was the salmon coloured floral shirt and comfy jean shorts he decided to wear. It made the man-beast look almost friendly. But Jevil knew better. This was anything but a friendly meeting. The look on the Wolf-man’s face was a clear sign of that. But that didn’t mean that Jevil wasn’t going to try and make it friendly. Jevil got to his feet as the man-beast slowly approached the bench.

“Jevil.” Harley’s father said, his voice unimpressed and bored sounding.

“Sir,” Jevil held out his hand. “Thank you for meeting me here.”

Jevil wasn’t surprised when the Wolf-man didn’t shake his hand. And even less surprised when the Wolf-man only glowered at him. Of course Harley’s dad was not happy to see him or even be anywhere near him. What did he expect? Things were taking a turn for the awkward as Jevil retracted his hand. The two of them just kind of stood there, staring at each other and waiting for someone to say or do something. Jevil didn’t know how long they had stood there staring at each other. It felt like an eternity of them just doing nothing. And Jevil would have broken the awkward trance, if he knew what to say. But his mind was coming up blank. There was nothing that he could say that wouldn’t result in some sort of hostility from the man-beast. It really kind of sucked and it slowly sapped any and all hope for a good meeting from Jevil. But he didn’t want to give up just yet. Surely there had to be something he could say or do to salvage this meeting. Jevil was just about to open his mouth when Harley’s dad cut him off.

“Let’s get this over with.” He said as he turned around and started for the park.

“ . . .right.” Jevil sighed.

The urge to yell and fuss at Harley’s dad was strong. So strong that Jevil had already opened his mouth to do just that. The words were about to come out of his mouth, but he stopped himself. He didn’t want to make a scene nor start an argument with Harley’s father. It wouldn’t be right. Besides, doing so would ruin any and all chances he had at getting the grouchy old Darkner to give his blessings. And Jevil needed his blessing. He wouldn’t be able to move on and marry Harley without it. With a defeated sigh, Jevil followed after the Wolf-man into the park. It was rather busy even though it was a weekday. The cobblestone path was jammed packed full of lots of screaming and laughing children running about instead of being in school and just as many drunk adults who needed to be at work. Normally, this would bother Jevil. But his temper was already starting to get the better of him and really, he just wanted to go home. He wasn’t feeling that this meeting was going well. And it wasn’t. The more rational part of him knew that this meeting was going to go nowhere. But the hopeful side of him wanted to stick it out and believe that things were going to change. Jevil didn’t know which part he should tell to shut up. But he put his feelings aside and instead focused on the twinkling lights and whirling movements of the rides and other attractions of the park.

The twirling colourful rides were hypnotic in their movements, going up and down and all around. The sight of them brought back memories of his time with Harley riding one of those rides and he had to stifle a smile. Never would he have thought that he would be tormented by old memories like this just because Harley was not by his side. It was an odd thing to have to go through. He had never had memories of his past lady friends haunt him as much as his memories with Harley were doing. It was kind of scary. Especially the realization that there were just times where he would not be able to be with her. How would he handle such moments? He didn’t want to think on it. Not at all. Instead he listened to the joyful noise of the patrons of the park. Their screams and laughter were like the hunting sounds of a choir. It was beautiful, only losing its beauty when the noise got too loud. Just as the greenery started to pick back up the closer they got to the mini golf range, the sounds of screaming Darkners died down. Jevil looked up in time to see the mini golf rental booth come into view. It was a brown little box, nothing special. Though it did look like their colourful golf decorations were just thrown up haphazardly, with very little rhyme or reason. It looked a hot mess, but functional. As they approached the booth, Jevil was able to see a bored looking lizard Darkner sitting behind the table on his phone. It took a moment before the lizard Darkner noticed them, but what he did, he put his phone away and put on his most fake smile.

“Hi and welcome to the hippest mini golf range in all the Dark World. How many in your party?”

“Two.” Harley’s father responded; his tone was bored and unimpressed sounding.

“Two, right.” The lizard Darkner repeated mostly to himself as he went and picked out two clubs and grabbed two golf balls. “Here you are sir. The course starts at the giant cat state, just behind the booth.”

Harley’s father hummed in acknowledgement as he shoved a golf club and ball in Jevil’s arms. Before Jevil could say anything, Harley’s dad walked off towards the giant grey cat stature. Reluctantly, Jevil followed after the Darkner. The mini golf range was a huge sprawling place, filled with creepy mechanical statues of various colours and theming that whirled to life the second anyone got near. And though there were not that many Darkners at the range, the mechanical monstrosities kept moving. There were so many of them, ranging from a demented looking grey cat to an ugly looking pirate fox creature that kept making pirate noises. Jevil hated ever second of it and was starting to have regrets about taking Harley’s father here and not a real golf course. And that was saying nothing about how this meeting was going, though that did play a part in his regret. Jevil continued to follow Harley’s dad up the cobblestone path that led up to the fake green grass that the mechanical nightmare cat sat on. Harley’s father set his golf ball down onto the tee and got into position to hit it. The man beast took aim and swung with deliberate control. The ball went into the giant grey cat’s paw, causing the machine to meow loudly and its paw to swing around and around before it tossed the ball onto the green again and into the hole.

 “So, why did you bring me out here?” He asked, his tone carrying a smug satisfaction at his hole in one.

Jevil had to pick his jaw up off the ground. He had not expected the man beast to get a hole in one. Let alone on the first try. Jevil had a feeling that the Wolf man was good at golf, but never in his life would he have expected that he was this good. There was no way Jevil could try and copy that. He was exceptionally bad at golf, in all its varieties. It was a sport that required some serious precision and Jevil just didn’t have it. No matter how hard he tried, Jevil always tended to send his golf balls flying across the green. It was embarrassing and one reason why he didn’t bring Harley to the mini golf range. However, after seeing that amazing golfing display, Jevil found himself desiring to do the same. Even though everything was telling him that he couldn’t do it, he wanted to make a hole in one too, just to prove to the Wolf man that he could do it too. Yeah, it was a lame reason for wanting something he had never been able to do before ever. But this felt like some sort of test. And Jevil wanted to pass it. Badly. Feeling more determined then ever, Jevil set his golf ball down on the tee and positioned himself to strike it. Carefully, he took aim and with a deep breath, he hit the ball. It went sailing towards the cat statue only to hit its paw the wrong way and come sailing back towards Jevil. The ball stopped just shy of hitting Jevil back in the head. Jevil cursed as the golf ball landed back in front of him. So much for showing Harley’s dad that he was capable. Then he remembered that Harley’s father was watching him. Jevil turned around to the Darkner only to be faced with a bored Wolf-man.

“Well, I’ve been wanting to hang out with you for the past forever, sir.” Jevil finally spoke, his voice betraying his embarrassment. “But you’re always so busy.”

The Wolf-man huffed and then turned his back to him to go to the next hole. Feeling frustrated, Jevil picked up his golf ball and followed the grouchy Darkner. The next hole was rubber duck themed. It made no sense and it was horrifying. The off-yellow coloured duck machines looked like they had seen some indescribable and horrific things. It was probably themselves, but Jevil kept that little joke to himself. The goal was the get the ball onto one of the moving lily pads, which then would be taken into the belly of the machine and out the other side to the hole. With how complex this hole was, Jevil was sure that Harley’s dad wouldn’t be able to get a hole in one. It was impossible. Jevil watched as Harley’s father set his golf ball down on the tee. He took careful aim and then smacked the ball clear over the lily pads and onto the next side. The ball rolled closer and closer to the hole, skimmed the edge of it before falling neatly into the hole. Jevil couldn’t believe his eyes. The grouchy wolf beast had gotten another hole in one. And on a more difficult hole. How was he doing that? What was the trick? No, Jevil had to remind himself that there was no trick to golf. It was purely skill. Skill that Jevil didn’t have and that Harley’s father was having a good time showing off. Jevil took a deep calming breath and continued with what he was saying before he was rudely interrupted.

“Anyway, I wanted to talk with you.” Jevil set his golf ball on the tee and smacked it, only to have it fly off into the sky ad land back in front of him. “You know, get to know you better and ask you a question.”

“Just spit it out.” The Wolf man spat out as he turned his back to Jevil once again and started towards the next hole. “I don’t have all day to dillydally with you.”

“Fine.” Jevil muttered to himself as he ran to catch up to the man beast. Once Jevil was in the lead, he stopped right in front of Harley’s dad, gaining his attention. “I would like your permission to marry your daughter.”

“No.”

The Wolf-man pushed Jevil out of his way and continued towards the next hole. Jevil sighed, his temper rising to uncomfortable levels. He knew this was going to happen, but to have it happen in such a rude and final sounding kind of way was not what he had anticipated. The finality of the man beast’s denial was strong. Harley’s father wanted this to be a shut case, never to be re-opened. But Jevil wasn’t going to let it be one. His rising temper would not allow him to just sit by and let his dreams come to a halt. No, he wanted answers. Why was he being denied? What did he have to do to get permission to marry Harley? He needed those answers more than he needed to breathe. His happiness with the love of his life were on the line. Jevil turned around to face the man beast’s back. The Wolf man was already so far away that Jevil would either have to run to catch up or yell what he wanted to say. Tired of trying to play catch up with this Darkner, he opted for yelling. He cared not if other Darkners heard them, he wanted answers.

“Why not!”

Jevil’s words stopped the Wolf-man in his tracks. The hulking Wolf Beast slowly turned around and gave Jevil an incredulous look before immediately marching towards Jevil. Anger coloured the man beast’s eyes, making him look insane. The urge to shrink away and run from the oncoming onslaught was strong, but Jevil stood his ground regardless of his feelings. He didn’t want to be scared of Harley’s father. Not anymore. He refused to be fearful of the man beast. Those days were over. Jevil refused to be intimidated by the Wolf-man anymore. He stood his ground and gave the Wolf-man a calm look, which only seemed to make the man beast even angrier as he damn near ran towards Jevil. Within seconds, Harley’s father was in Jevil’s face. His breathing was ragged, and rage coloured his grey eyes. Every inch of Jevil was screaming at him to be fearful of this Darkner, but he just couldn’t. He was angry at man beast. Angry that he was willing to just go on without giving Jevil any explanation as to why he denied him. Angry that the grouchy Darkner was treating him in such a rude way. And though Jevil’s anger was enough to have him in a yelling competition with the man beast that would rival the heavens, Jevil spoke calmly.

“Why not?”

“You want to know why, fool?” The man beast growled. “It’s because you are no good for my daughter. I see what you are trying to do. You are trying to ruin all the hard work my daughter has been putting into her life.”

“That’s not true, one. And two, why don’t you let her decide if I am no good for her.”

The Wolf-man growled his detest.

“Look, I get it. She is your only daughter. You love her and want to protect her. But I love her too. I want to protect her too.” Jevil put his hand over his heart as if that would emphasise his love for Harley. “I’ve been trying to show you this for the past forever, but you never allowed me to.”

“There is nothing you can show me.” Harley’s father turned away from Jevil, the motion filled with dismissal. “I know your type.”

“That’s it!” Jevil through his hands up, his temper raging hot as he got in front of Harley’s father and forced the man beast to look him in the eye. “I’ve had enough of your disapproval and judgement of me! You don’t fuckin’ know me! You won’t take the time to get to know me! So, I’m just going to say it! I love your daughter! More than anyone or anything in this world! She means everything to me and I’m going to marry her, with or without your permission.”

“Then why waste my time?” Harley’s father growled.

“Because I wanted to do the right thing!” Jevil started, his temper slowly dissipating and deflating him and making him sound desperate. “I wanted to run it by you. Because I care what you have to say. You are going to be my father-in-law. . .no, my new father, and I really want to make you proud. I couldn’t make my real dad proud, no matter what I did. I don’t want that with you too.”

Jevil looked up to the man beast. The Wolf-man gave Jevil a curious look, like he was stunned at what was being said to him. Silence passed between them for what felt like forever. The sound of only the whirring machinery of the golf range made Jevil anxious. What was the man beast thinking? Had he changed his mind? Jevil wanted to know so badly but he waited, just in case the sound of his voice changed the Wolf-man’s mind for the worse. All Jevil could do was look at the man beast and hope that the desperateness and defeat he felt didn’t show through. The silence dragged on between them for seconds. Then minuets before the man beast finally spoke, his voice soft and almost kind.

“You care . . .that much?”

“Yes, sir.”

Silence passed over them once again. And once again, it seemed to stretch on for eternity. Jevil never took his eyes from the Wolf-man. He was too scared to look away from the man beast for even a moment. It was as if he had to see every expression the man beast made, as if that would help him determine where the man beast stood on the subject. It didn’t. Especially since Jevil was having a hard time reading the Wolf-man. One moment, he was angry then within seconds, his expression would change to something more calm and collected. It was like he was trying to find reasons to be mad at Jevil. But as the time continued to tick forward, it dawned on Jevil that the Wolf-man couldn’t find fault in him. Even knowing that bit of information, Jevil still couldn’t force words out or look away. And they had stayed staring at each other for a long time as Jevil waited for the man beast to speak. When he finally did speak, Jevil wanted to hug the Darkner for breaking the awkward silence.

“Fine,” The Wolf-man started. “I give you my blessing to marry my daughter.”

Jevil perked up at the words the man beast spoke, unable to contain his excitement at what was being spoken to him. “Thank you, sir!”

“But . . .”

Before the man beast could finish his sentence, Jevil had wrapped his arms around the huge darkner. “Oh sir, you won’t regret this! I swear on my life!”

“Ah . . .” The Wolf-man patted Jevil back hesitantly, almost like he didn’t know if he should or not.

Realizing that things were getting awkward again, Jevil let the man beast go and stepped back. “Sorry.”

“Right.” The Wolf-man dusted off his clothes. “But next time, don’t take me to the golf course. You are horrendous at it.”

Jevil chuckled nervously and scratched at his head. “Yeah, I guess I won’t do that.”

“Now, let’s get going.”

Jevil followed after the wolf beast Darkner as he led the way out of the golf range. It wasn’t long before they were standing out in the main park and the sounds of screaming children filled Jevil’s ears. The crowd of Darkners was just as thick as it was when they had first arrived at the park, not much had changed about it. Though it did seem louder now that they were coming out of a relatively quiet area of the park. But Jevil just assumed it was his ears getting used to the noise again. Regardless, he couldn’t wait to be out of the park. He followed after Harley’s father, unable to stop the big grin that appeared on his face. It was still a shock that he got through to the grouchy Darkner. Jevil wasn’t sure he would ever get through to the Wolf-man. But here he was, walking side by side with the Darkner and with permission to marry his daughter. The urge to celebrate was strong, but Jevil held it in. He wouldn’t get the chance to celebrate for a while as he still had to go through Harley. Goodness, he hoped that she would say yes to his proposal. But he didn’t want to think of it now, he couldn’t. Right now, he wanted to just walk with his new father.

"So, I guess I should call you father now, huh?" Jevil spoke suddenly, a smile on his lips.

"Don't you dare." Harley's dad growled.

Jevil was shocked at the sudden display of hostility and immediately backed down. And here he had thought that he and Harley’s father were on better terms. That they had moved on from such negativity and onto understanding each other. At least enough to start joking with each other. But he was wrong. He had poured his heart out and spoke the truth for nothing. Harley’s father still hated him. It hurt. Jevil had told of his failure with his biological father in hopes that it would change Harley’s father into accepting him. It was all Jevil was about to explain that it was just a joke when he noticed a smile on the man beast’s face. Then the man beast clapped Jevil hard on the back and started to howl with laughter.

“Got you! You should have seen the look on your face, boy!” The man beast said, his smile growing bigger.

Realizing the joke, Jevil started to laugh with the man beast. They laughed the whole way to the park entrance, the whole time, everyone was staring at them like they were crazy. And in a way, Jevil felt crazy. Crazy for thinking that all his heartfelt confession was for not. He couldn’t help but to laugh at his own silliness. Once at the park entrance, Harley’s father clapped Jevil on the back again. Jevil nearly fell due to the powerful impact.

“Anyway, father is too formal.” Harley’s father started. “Dad will suffice.”

Jevil couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was finally being accepted. Unable to put into words his feelings, Jevil said the only thing that came to mind.

“Yes, dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 13. This was another fun chapter to write. Though, I must apologize for the time skip. I know that most of you guys would prefer me to go into ever little detail of the relationship of Jevil and Harley, but I can't. It was never something I had planned to do for this iteration of this story since the Delatrune game is not finished. I just wanted to get my main ideas out while still entertaining folks. Hopefully you guys understand what I mean. That doesn't mean that I won't re-write this story one day and go into the nitty-gritty of everything. But that won't be until the Deltarune game is a finished product.
> 
> As always, please feel free to visit the social media
> 
> **[[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/periwinkleparadise)] [[Twitter](https://twitter.com/Periwinkle818)] [[Blog](http://periwinklesparadise.wordpress.com)]**


	14. Kibitz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jevil and Harley go on a date where Jevil asks Harley to marry him.

You looked at your bountiful bouquet of picnic ready foods and started packing them neatly into the picnic basket, all the while, memories of yesterday flooded your mind. Jevil had been so excited yesterday as he insisted that the two of you go on a picnic together. It was so cute to see him so enthusiastic about something. Just how his golden eyes lightened up as he spoke to you. Though you had to wonder just what was on his mind. He had said that he just wanted to go on a date with you, but for some reason, you were suspicious. His motives, though sweet, held something else in them. You just couldn’t put your finger on it. Normally, Jevil never hid anything from you. He was always so honest with you. Honest to a fault, really. You couldn’t count how many times he had told you something so personal that you ended up blushing and changing the subject. So, to see him actually hiding something from you was odd. It was unlike him and it had you worried. He had been like this for a while, and though you tried to pick his brain many times, he wouldn’t divulge what was going on. What was on his mind that he had to hide it from you? Just how bad was it? You wanted to know so badly. If anything, then just to relieve him of his torment and have things go back to normal. But you knew you couldn’t force him. You just hoped that today during the date, he would tell you what was on his mind.

Making the finishing touches to the picnic basket, you looked at your creation. The tiny brown wicker basket was bursting to the seam with various kinds of sandwiches, chips and drinks. In all honesty, you and Jevil didn’t need so much food. Jevil was a huge darker, yes, but he didn’t eat that much. And you barely ate yourself. So why you packed so much food, you weren’t sure. Though the aesthetics of a full picnic basket was pleasing to you, so you supposed that had something to do with it. Regardless, you were satisfied with what you had and were not going to change it. The only thing missing was the picnic blanket. You went to the living room closet and opened the doors. Inside was rather barren, making it easy to spot the red and white checked picnic blanket high up on the shelf. You walked back into the kitchen and grabbed your stepping-stool before heading back to the closet. Setting the stool down, you climbed up carefully and grabbed the blanket. Before you could get down safely, you heard the doorbell ring. The sound startled you and you nearly fell from the stepping-stool. Luckily, you didn’t fall and were able to get down safely. You set the blanket down on the ground and went to the door. Opening it, you saw Jevil standing at your doorway in his usual, a casual band tee and a pair of worn jeans and sneakers. He was looking around, almost like he was checking the weather before he turned to you and smiled.

“Hey, lovie.”

“Hey,” You signed. “Let me just get everything and then we can go.”

“Let me help.” Jevil commanded as he followed behind you.

You shrugged your shoulders, not really caring one way or the other if he wanted to help, and then picked up the checked blanket from the floor. You straightened the blanket out a bit before making sure it was folded nice and neat. But before you could drape the cloth over you arm, Jevil took it from your grasp. In one flawless motion, he had the blanket draped over his arm and a smile on his face. Realizing that he was being a macho man, flexing his arm muscles as he held the blanket, you shook your head at him before going into the kitchen. Sitting proudly was your picnic masterpiece with bits of sandwich and chip bags sticking out from the corner. You were so proud of your creation and couldn’t wait for Jevil to see it in all its glory. You grabbed the basket and went back into the living room where Jevil stood waiting for you. Within seconds, Jevil was standing in front of you and taking the basket from your hands. He whistled as he looked at the basket.

“You spoil me, woman.” He said as he balanced the basket on his free arm.

You shook you head at him and smiled. “Only the best for the best boyfriend in the world.”

“Aw shucks, now you flatter me.” He blushed, his cheeks turning a deep shade of purple. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

You pretended to think about his question and smiled. “Hm, nope.”

Jevil laughed, the sound beautiful and deep. His laugh was like music to your ears and you loved every second that you got to hear it. Not only was it a beautiful sound, but it was also infectious. You found yourself laughing silently along with him as you led him towards to front door. As you neared the door, Jevil tried to open the door for you, but you beat him to it and held it open for him with a little coy smile on your face. He sighed in defeat and exited your home, you followed closely behind him. Once outside, you took a deep breath of the crisp warm summer air. It was such a lovely summer morning. Birds were singing their songs in the trees and though there was no sun in the Dark World, it was still warm. The tall trees with their green leaves, looked magnificent against the dark backdrop of the cliffside that encompassed all of the Dark World. And up above, you could see the unclimbable cliff ceiling and the twinkles of precious stones and crystals that clung to it. The stones and crystals embedded into the rockface made it look like perpetual night-time, but that was just how the Dark World worked. Rumours had it that it was magic that held the crystals up there like that. But no one really knew, and no one questioned it either. It was just how things were.

“So, where are we going?” You asked suddenly as you followed behind Jevil.

You had no clue where Jevil had wanted to go for this picnic. He had refused to tell you any details besides that it was going to be a picnic. Not where the picnic was going to be held or what you would be doing besides eating. Nothing. And it had remained this way for weeks after he had brought up the idea, despite your questioning and prodding. He had refused to budge on his silence though and had remained quiet the whole time. You hoped that today, he would tell you. Or at the very least, drop some hints about the location. Or maybe even the why it had to be a picnic. Not that you were complaining. You enjoyed the idea of having a picnic with Jevil. It was such a cute idea, and one that you had been wanting to do for a long time. The only thing stopping you from asking him first was the fact that you had assumed that Jevil didn’t want to go out for a picnic. He was the type who liked to stay indoors for dates rather than go out. It had something to do with how he used to ‘date’ long ago and him just not really outgrowing those old ways. So, he had surprised you when he had asked. You couldn’t help but think that he was changing, just a little.

“It’s a secret.” He answered, his voice playful as he held up one finger to his mouth. “Just know that you are going to love it.”

“Aw,” You started to whine. “Just a little hint? Like, maybe what I’ll see when we get there or . . .”

Jevil shook his head. “Nope, nuh-uh. Not gonna get a single thing from me.”

“Meanie.”

“So be it, then. I’ll be a meanie.”

Jevil turned around just in time to see you pouting and laughed. The sound of his jovial laughter made you pout even more. You didn’t like that he was keeping things from you. Yes, this time it was something minor. You didn’t need to know about the picnic. It would just make you feel better to know. But he has been keeping something else from you as well. Something that was so much bigger than the picnic. You started to get suspicious when, a couple of days ago, he wasn’t home the whole day. And normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. He is allowed to go wherever his pleases without telling you. You were not one of those clingy girls who needed to know the location of your boyfriend 24/7. But when he returned later the day and came over to your home, he laid his cell phone down and received a text message from your father, of all Darkners. It was strange because you knew that the two of them didn’t get along all that well. But you ignored that, thinking that maybe they were finally getting along, and went to return Jevil his phone. Doing so, you accidently peaked and saw that the text said ‘So, when are you going to ask her?’. Ask who, what? When you asked Jevil, he replied with a solid ‘it’s nothing’ and pocketed his phone. Ever since that day a couple weeks ago, he has been acting strange. He avoids certain questions and topics, always replying with ‘it’s nothing’. And lately he has been looking more and more nervous about something.

It was honestly frustrating and if you were being truthful with yourself, the situation made you feel inadequate. You had prided yourself on the fact that Jevil could talk to you about everything. Even the most personal of stuff, Jevil didn’t keep secret from you. You revelled in it even though there were times where you thought better of knowing his more personal secrets. But now that he was keeping something from you, you were starting to doubt yourself. What if all this time, you had been wrong, and he couldn’t actually tell you everything? What if his feelings for you were changing and that was why he was keeping secrets? That possibility scared you and brought forth even more terrifying thoughts. Like what if he was changing back to the way he used to be and was asking you out, just so he could dump you. You shook your head at the ridiculous thought. And though you knew it was ridiculous to think that, the thought wouldn’t leave your mind. Deep down, you didn’t want him to lose his feelings for you. Not after everything the two of you have been through. That would hurt beyond words. But you didn’t have the courage to bring up the topic, just in case it turned out to be true.

“You alright back there?” Jevil asked. “You’re more quiet than usual, ba dum tis.”

Jevil gave you a cheeky wink, causing you to laugh. But only for a short while. More than anything, the whole situation made you to feel guilty for your thoughts. How could have thought those horrible things about your boyfriend? How could you have doubted his feelings for you? Didn’t you have any faith in him at all? Well, of course you did. So, why weren’t you showing it?

“I’m alright.” You lied.

“Good, because we are no where close to the location I picked out.”

Jevil chuckled at his own joke and continued leading the way. He was in such a jovial mood as he led you through the castle. You didn’t want to ruin the moment or the date by being a Debbie downer, stuck in your own tumultuous thoughts. You wanted to have a good time too, not worried about what may or may not happen. So, you summoned your best smile, pushed the thoughts in question away and trotted up to Jevil so you could walk by his side. He looked down at you and smiled. It was such a sweet smile, one that held so much love. You couldn’t help but smile back at him. How you could have thought such horrible things about him was beyond you. Seriously, if he wanted to break up with you, you highly doubted he would be smiling at you like he was. Not only that, but he would not have been in such a good and hyper mood if his only goal for this date was to break up with you. No, he was just genuinely excited for this date. And you were too. So much so that you decided to not care if he was hiding something from you. When the time was right, you were sure that he would tell you. Until then, you were not going to fret about it. Nor where you going to pester him about it. You were going to be a good girlfriend and be patient for him. It was the least you could do.

You were feeling confident about your resolve. So much so, that you barely realized that the two of you had already left the castle grounds already and were heading into the Scarlet Forest. Within seconds, the temperature dropped and thick swaths of falling orange and red leaves obscured your vision. The Scarlet Forest was as beautiful as ever with its autumn aesthetic and colourful earthy palette. Surely with such a beautiful and serene place, Jevil would have chosen the forest to be the location for the picnic. It made so much sense. But as he neared closer and closer to the dimensional door, you started to lose faith in your assumption. It was only when you stood in front of the brown dimensional door that you gave up on the idea that the forest being the place. But then, what was it? Where was Jevil taking you? You pondered on it as you opened the door and stepped inside. A menagerie of colours ranging from blues to pinks, swirled in front of you as you thought. It was as you came upon the exiting door that it dawned on you. The Fields, of course! The Fields were the perfect place for a picnic. It was calm and quiet there. It wasn’t long before rolling green hills replaced the swirling colours of the dimensional door’s warped space. You were excited to see the green grass and red leaved trees. Every inch of you truly believed that you had figured the great mystery out.

But then, Jevil continued walking. Away from the fields and towards the location of Castle Town’s main gates.

You were utterly baffled and stunned for words. All that time, you had thought that you had figured out the location he had picked. But you couldn’t have been further from the answer. Never in a million years would you have picked Castle Town as a nice and quiet picnic location. It was much too busy for such a thing. Once again, the urge to ask Jevil where he was taking you arose. You knew you didn’t want to pester him, but you were getting too curious for your own good. You were about to ask when Jevil took a turn off the main path. No longer was he walking the pristine dirt path and heading towards the main gates of Castle Town. Now, he was headed towards a place you knew nothing about. The father you went from Castle Town’s tall building, the more nature and greenery started to appear. Before you knew it, fields of green grass peppered with small patches of colourful wildflowers spread for as far as the eye could see. Giant oak trees looked foreboding as the bordered the surrounding area. How you never knew such a beautiful and serene place existed was beyond you. And it was so close to the town too. Still, you followed Jevil through the prairie, awe colouring your face. As you went further into the grasslands, the small patches of wildflowers started to become bigger and before you knew it, the whole field was wildflowers.

“Here we are.” Jevil suddenly spoke. “Welcome to paradise.”

“Wow. . .” You were speechless as you took in the fields upon fields of colourful wildflowers.

“Yeah, I found this place a couple days ago and I thought that I needed to take you here ASAP.” Jevil explained as he set the basket down and started to unfold the blanket.

You ripped your eyes from the flowers just enough to look at Jevil. “You found this place? How? When?”

Jevil chuckled. “It’s a secret.”

“You and these secrets.” You shook your head and went to help him with the blanket. “You’re making me worried.”

“Don’t be.” He reassured.

His words weren’t comforting to you though. With how many secrets he was keeping from you, worry still plagued your mind. You wondered if you would ever get to know what was going on in Jevil’s mind. If he would ever tell you all the things he was purposefully keeping from you. But you tried to keep those thoughts and worrisome feelings from showing. The last thing you wanted to do was ruin this wonderful moment with a serious talk or even worse, an argument. He seemed to buy your façade and smiled back at you, completely unaware of your feelings. It was for the best, you thought. He didn’t need to know that you were freaking out on the inside because of his secretive ways. N, he needed to believe that you were his happy girlfriend, like you always were. At least for a little while longer. How long you were going to pull this façade, you didn’t know. But instead of focusing on that, you focused on the simple task of setting up the picnic spot. With Jevil’s help, the both of you fanned out the red and white checkered blanket until it was straightened out fully. Once the two of you set the blanket down out flat on the ground, Jevil picked up the food-filled basket and set it in the middle of the blanket. He then plopped down on one side of the basket and watched as you sat on your knees next to him. You looked out to the field and were mesmerized once again by the sight.

“This place is beautiful.” You signed as you watched little bumble bees go about their business.

“I’m glad you like it.” He said, his tone genuinely happy. “It was kind of hard to find amongst all the urban spall, but I was determined to find a quiet place for us to use today.”

“You did a great job.”

You leaned close to him to kiss him on the cheek. The second your lips touched his warm skin; he blushed a deep purple.

“Oh geez, thanks sweetie.” He rubbed at his head nervously.

You giggled silently; his embarrassed antics funny to you. After all this time of dating, a full three years, he was still getting embarrassed when you kissed him. It was so cute, but you would never tell him that. Because the moment you let it slip that he was being cute, he would stop and start fussing. And you didn’t want to hear how he didn’t want to be called cute. You had already heard that spiel and had no desire to hear again how he wished to be called handsome instead of cute. Especially when you thought he was both cute and handsome at the same time. But he was a man and to him, being called cute was emasculating. Whatever. So, you kept your taboo thoughts to yourself and instead started to unpack the food basket. Carefully, you set a couple sandwiches out in front of Jevil, who was practically drooling in anticipation.

“Woo boy, this looks amazing.” Jevil whistled as he picked up a sandwich and took a big bite.

“Thank you.” You signed before unpacking a few more sandwiches. “I made them with love.”

Jevil hummed. “I can feel the love, right here.”

He rubbed at his stomach, making you laughed hard at his silliness. It was only when you calmed down that you picked up a sandwich and took a bite. The mix of lettuce and tomatoes with mayonnaise and turkey was like heaven in your mouth. And if you had a voice, you were sure you would have hummed aloud your pleasure. Instead you closed your eyes and sighed blissfully. You were knocked out of your little trance when you heard Jevil chuckle softly. Opening your eyes, you looked at him. Even though he was laughing at you, the look in his eyes was anything but. His honey golden eyes held within them nothing but adoration and love. Yes, he was laughing and definitely in a playful mood, but his stare was intense. Almost like he was thinking about something serious. It was a whiplash of emotions on his face. It confused you and kept you from being able to interpret the mood. Were you supposed to be playful or serious? You didn’t know and therefore, you opted to just staring at him and waiting for him to speak. When you finally heard his voice and intonation, you released a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“That good, huh?”

 You nodded your head. “I was hungrier than I thought I was.”

“Then, it’s a good thing we arrived when we did. You could have eaten me.” Jevil chuckled at his own words.

“I still might eat you.” You said as you nudged him with your shoulder and made a claw gesture with your hands.

“Oh man, and I’d have no choice but to allow it too.” He looked to the basket full of food before looking back to you. “Unless . . .”

Jevil got onto his knees, pulled the basket closer to him and started to dig through its contents. Bags and foil wrapping rustled around wildly with his movements. What he was looking for, you had no clue. Nor could you see exactly what he was doing in the basket. But when he found what he was looking for, he gave a little ‘aha’. And it was probably the cutest thing you had ever heard him say. Even more, when he finally turned around, the look on his face was that of pure joy. It was an infectious look, one that had you grinning from ear to ear as you waited to see what he had done. You watched as he outstretched his hand and in it was a bright red cherry tomato. Confused, you looked to him, expecting him to explain what he was doing with a small tomato. But all he did was grin at you and hold the small fruit up so you could see it clearer. As if doing so would make his actions make more sense. When things weren’t clicking for you, he finally spoke.

“Unless I feed you.” He finally finished his previous sentence. “Say ‘ah’.”

Now understanding his meaning, you silently giggled at his words. You couldn’t say ‘ah’. But that didn’t stop you from trying your best to do so. You opened your mouth and tried you best to make a sound. Nothing happened and instead it was more like you were just waiting patiently instead of trying to say ‘ah’. That didn’t deter Jevil as he slowly leaned forward. With swift movements, he placed the cherry tomato in your mouth, his index finger lingering on your lips for just a bit. Closing your mouth on the tomato, you kissed his finger before he removed it. The resulting blush that crept up on his face and the way his eyes lit up were just the most pure thing you had ever seen. In a way, you liked how you were able to make him blush so easily. It made you feel powerful and desired. Revelling in the fact that you made him blush for a second time today, you slowly began eating the tomato. The sweetness of the freshy picked fruit hit you from every angle and had you swooning with delight.

“That better?” Jevil asked. “Do you still want to eat me? Just know that I won’t taste nearly as good as that tomato.”

You swallowed your food before signing. “You’re right, you won’t.”

“So, I’ve been spared?” He looked at you expectantly, the look in his eyes reminding you of a love-struck puppy.

“I guess so.” You shrugged your shoulders.

“Phew, dodged a bullet there.”

 Jevil wiped at his brow in mock exasperation before picking up what was left of his sandwich and beginning to eat again. You laughed silently at his over-the-top antics before copying him and nibbling at your own sandwich. Time passed quietly as you two ate and enjoyed each other’s company. When Jevil had finished his food, he made sure you were finished before moving the basket out of the way and laying down on the blanket. He propped his arms behind his head and stretched out, the faint sound of joints popping accompanied his movements. It was only after he had gotten truly comfortable that he looked up to you. The look in his honey golden eyes was inquiring, almost as if he were asking if you were going to lay down too, all without using his words. Not wanting to pass up an opportunity to snuggle with your boyfriend, you laid down next to him and curled into the crook of his arm and laid your head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around you and held you close to him. The feeling left you wondering if you had died and gone to heaven. This moment was too wonderful. Too beautiful for words. And so, you didn’t speak. Instead, you looked to the crystals that hung high in the cavern ceiling and made a wish.

“What are you thinking about right now?” Jevil spoke, the timbres of his voice rattling your bones.

“Nothing, just making a wish on the crystals.” You signed.

“Oh, what did you wish for? Tell me.” Jevil asked. You could hear the smile in his voice.

“I can’t. If I do, my wish won’t come true.”

“Oh come on, Harley. I promise I won’t tell the wishing gods.”

“Well . . .okay.” You snuggled closer to him before signing again. “I wished for us to be together like this always.”

“Nice wish.” Jevil nodded his head in approval. “I think it’ll come true.”

 You looked to him, shocked at his words. “You do?”

“Yeah, don’t you?”

You thought on it a bit before finally speaking. “Yeah, I do.”

Silence fell upon the both of you once again as you both took in each other’s words. It felt like hours had gone by and yet the two of you still laid cuddled together, not moving for fear of disturbing the other’s peace. Not that you were complaining as you nuzzled your head on his chest and closed your eyes. Pure bliss. That was what you were feeling as you listened to all the sounds surrounding you. Closest, you could hear Jevil heart beating strong in his chest and the deep breaths he was taking as he relaxed. Further away, you could hear little bumble bees buzzing around as they went about and collected honey from the flowers. It was so peaceful. And coupled with the fragrant smells of Jevil’s musky cologne and the earthy smells of the flowers surrounding you, you thought you were in heaven. You had to be. Everything about this moment was just too beautiful for words. Every quiet second that passed by was so lovely and serene. You didn’t want it to end. But soon, you found yourself fighting to keep your eyes open. It wasn’t long before you found yourself drifting, the sound of Jevil’s heartbeat and calm breathing lulling you to a peaceful sleep.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Harley, wake up.”

The soft sound of your name being called pulled your attention. It wasn’t too long after that your eyes fluttered open. And even though you were somewhat awake, the soft jostling on your shoulder didn’t stop. It was only after you had started to swat at whoever was jostling you that it stopped, and you heard a soft yet familiar chuckle. Once your eyes fully adjusted to being awake, you saw Jevil looking at you. His golden eyes were bright in the light and he looked fully rested, like he had fallen asleep too. You smiled at him as it dawned on you that you got to wake up with him next to you. It was something so simple and small, but it was something you had always dreamed of happening and now it was. You loved it. And clearly, he did too as he leaned in and kissed you on the forehead. It was such a simple show of affection, but it had immense power on you. Almost instantly, your heart started to beat fast and you could feel your cheeks beginning to burn. Now this was the way to wake up.

“Hmm, Jevil.” You signed before rubbing at your sleep-filled eyes and sitting up. “How long was I asleep?

“About an hour or two.”

“Oh my gosh,” You jerked fully awake at his words. “I am so sorry for falling asleep on our date.”

“No worries, I fell asleep too.” Jevil patted your hair, smoothing out what had to be bed head. “But it’s time to go now. It’s getting late.”

You nodded your head and started to pack up the picnic. It was a little sad, you weren’t going to lie, that the picnic was over. Even more, that you had slept through most of it. You hadn’t expected yourself to be so tired. But regardless, it had been such a lovely picnic and an even more lovely place. And you hoped that in the future, the two of you would be able to come back to this place and do it all again as you were sure you would not forget this time spent so easily. Getting lost in your thoughts, you continued to clean up, though it wasn’t long before you had everything packed up and ready to go. All that was left was the blanket but the two of you were still sitting on it. You looked to Jevil, realizing that he hadn’t moved. Instead of being focused on cleaning up the mess, he looked spaced out and worried. It was unlike him and a complete 180 from the happy-go-lucky mood he was in earlier. What he was thinking, you could only guess. You wanted to assume it had something to do with all the secrets he had been keeping. But you knew better than to assume anything with the spontaneous Jevil and instead opted to just asking.

“Jevil?” You started. “Is everything alright?”

“Huh?” He looked a bit startled before he spoke again, his words in a rush. “Oh, everything is fine, you just dropped this.”

You looked at what Jevil had picked up. In his hands was a gold banded ring that had a huge chunk of iridescent crystal in the centre. The crystal almost looked like a rainbow as it reflected light off of it. It looked like a wedding ring. And a gorgeous one and that. It looked expensive, however. Whoever’s ring it belong to much have been wealthy or at the very least had spent a few hard-earned pay checks just to afford it. You didn’t know anyone well off like that, nor did you know anyone wealthy besides the king and his family. But surely this didn’t belong to the king. And whoever it did belong to must be so upset at having lost it. You could feel the owner of the ring’s pain at having lost such a beautiful and important item and decided that the best option was to turn it in to the police. You just hoped that they would be able to find the owner.

“That’s not mine.” You took the ring from Jevil’s hands and examined it. “It must belong to someone else. We should go to the police and turn it in.”

“No,” Jevil got to his feet and took the ring from you. “I’m positive it’s yours.”

You looked at him confused. How could he possibly know that it was yours when you didn’t own any jewellery? But all thoughts came to an unceremonious halt as you watched Jevil get down on one knee and hold the ring out to you. You couldn’t believe what he was doing and already tears were starting to well in your eyes, blurring your vision. He was seriously asking. After all this time of dating, you had thought that maybe marriage was something he didn’t want yet. It was a big commitment and he was still learning how to properly love someone and not see them as a means of just sex. So, you didn’t want to rush him and were willing to wait for him to want it just as badly as you did. Three years. You had waited for three years for him to pop the question. Tears streamed down your face and you wiped them away so you could see Jevil’s face. He had a serious look to him. This was no laughing matter and clearly, it had taken every ounce of strength he had to gather the courage. You watched as he took a deep breath. He was about to say the words, but you were already nodding your head yes. You didn’t need to hear what he had to say. You already knew that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him. You had known years ago. But you supposed it was rude of you to answer without him actually asking yet. So, you forced your head to stop bobbing up and down and instead covered your mouth with your hands and waited for him to speak.

“I know I waited a long time.” He started. “But, to be fair, I had no clue what I supposed to do. And in a way, I still don’t know what I’m doing. But I do know one thing. And that is that I would love nothing more than to be your husband, Harlequin. My love, will you marry me?”

Uncontrollably, you nodded your head, your ability to actually sign your words completely out the window as emotions flooded through you. Jevil smiled, his serious face replaced with one filled with unbridled joy as he slipped the ring on your finger. You looked down at your hand through the tears. On it sparkled the ring that was now yours. You wiped away the tears that blurred your eyes and watched as Jevil got to his feet. He held open his arms and instinctually, you went into his embrace. He hugged you tight before picking you up and spinning you around a bit. He then set you back down on your feet with a huff of laughter. Jevil then tilted your head up and brought his lips to yours. The kiss was unlike anything you had ever experienced before with him. It was hungry yet so filled with love that it left you feeling dizzy when he pulled away.

“You’ve just made me that happiest Darkner in all of the Dark World.” He said, his breath ragged.

“Really? Because I feel like the happiest Darkner in all the Dark World.”

“Hmm, odd.” He hummed as he let you go and picked up the picnic basket. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m the happiest Darkner right now.”

“I don’t know,” You bent down and folded up the blanket and draped it over your arm. “I’m pretty happy. I’m getting married.”

“Really? Because I’m getting married too and I am super happy about it.” He took hold of your free hand and started leading the way back home.

“Well, I’m happier than you.” You started, every inch of you feeling playful.

“Nuh-huh.”

“Yeah-huh.”

You looked to him and he looked to you, a devilish look on his face. He leaned close you and gave you a chase kiss before whispering that he was the happiest and running off. Laughing silently at the childish games the two of you were playing, you ran after him through the wildflower forest and back onto the path that led home. When you finally caught up to him, he was breathing really hard and his eyes held a wild look to them. He took hold of your hand and started to lead the way back. All the while, the two of you were breathless as you walked. However, that didn’t stop you both from laughing like mad Darkners all the way home, truly happy at what was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the long wait, but with my full time job working nights (11pm - 7:30am) and full time schooling, i just don't have the time I want to work on my writing. But that doesn't mean that I won't be trying to get chapter out for you guys. It just will take a lot longer than usual. I hope that you lovely folks won’t be mad at me and will stay subscribed to the blog and my other social media even though I won’t be able to post as much. But if not, then I understand. I just hope that when I am able to post regularly again, that you will find me again and subscribe back to everything. But as always, if you would like to support me, please check out my social media. And maybe think about subscribing to the blog so you won’t miss any posts that I do.
> 
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	15. Espoused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jevil and Harley get married

“I feel like I am going to vomit.” Your hands were shaky with nerves as you signed.

“Don’t vomit, darling.” Your mother said as she smoothed down your hair. “Everything is going to be fine; you’ll see.”

You were inclined to believe her as you looked around the room. Everything was so nicely decorated with frilly white banners accented with baby blue and purple hued streamers. Bunches of white roses mixed with purple and blue lilacs were dotted every which way and made the room smell like a garden. You loved it and found yourself taking deep lung fills of the scent just so you could calm down. It kind of worked, that is, until you remembered what all this decoration and festivities were for. Then your jitters came back with a vengeance. It took some time before everything started to sink in for you, your mind still in a daze. Today, you were getting married to the love of your life. That was why the castle was all decked out. It wasn’t at all what you had expected to be done for you. If you were honest, you had wanted something small and intimate. Which was why you had insisted that no one go above and beyond for you. It was unnecessary. But once the king found out about his most favourite entertainers getting married, he had taken charge of everything. He had taken your few days of planning and turned it into something else entirely within the span of months. Now you had all this extravagance.

It was all so much, and you felt out of place. No longer able to sit in your anxiety, you got up and went to the mirror that sat in the corner of the room. The long train of your wedding gown trailed behind you as you walked. You didn’t recognize yourself in the mirror. Your long dark hair was up in a simple chignon and makeup coloured your face. And the dress that you were wearing was so extravagant. Too extravagant. The bejewelled white bodice of your gown was form fitting and showed off the curves of your hips. You didn’t even know you had curvy hips, yet here you were, looking at them in awe. Golden jewels were peppered all over your dress and sparkled in the light. This wedding was for you, right? Well, of course it was, you knew that. But it didn’t feel like it was, and you didn’t feel like yourself. If anything, it felt like you were in a fantasy. One that you had dreamed of back when you were a child. But this was reality. You were really here, in an ornate white wedding gown and about to be married to your love. And by the king, no less. It was every Darkners’ dream to be married by the king and to have the wedding in the castle. And yet, you were terrified.

“Harley dear, you’re shaking like a leaf.” Your mother’s soft voice cut through the fog of anxiety. “Let me guess, you’re wondering if you are doing the right thing.”

You looked at your hand to confirm that it was shaking rather badly before clasping your hands together. “No, I’m not worried about that. I know that I am making the right choice.”

“Okay, that’s good because I was about to tell you that you are making a wonderful choice in Jevil.” She patted you on your exposed shoulder. “So, if that is not it, then what is the matter?”

Your mother had asked a good question. What was the matter? Why were you so jittery? You were happy, weren’t you? Well that was a dumb question, Of course you were happy. Beyond happy. You were ecstatic. This was what you had wanted and been waiting for, for such a long time. But something kept you from feeling as happy as you could be. You knew for sure it had nothing to do with marrying Jevil. Nor did it have anything to do with the marriage being a good or bad idea because no matter what, it was what you wanted to do, no questions asked. You thought about it and realized it was a combination of things. One, you couldn’t wear your mask and you were feeling exposed. And two, there were a lot of Darkners attending your wedding that you didn’t know. You had seen a horde of them walking up to the castle, ready to attend your wedding. Just the sight of them and the fact that they would see you without your mask on was enough to make you want to call the whole thing off. You had always envisioned your wedding to be personal and privet. Only family and friends. But the king had other plans in mind and had invited practically the whole of the castle and those that lived in and around it. And no one could resist a royal wedding, so practically the whole of the king’s invitees had come. On one hand, it was nice to think that so many Darkners had cared to come to your wedding. But on the other. . .

“I’m happy,” You started. “It’s just . . .”

“Wedding jitters,” Your mom’s sure sounding voice came from behind you. “I remember that feeling well.”

You turned to face her. “You do? What did you do to make them stop?”

“I saw your father at the alter and all my jitters vanished. It was like they were never there.”

“Mom.” You started to whine.

“It’s true.” She said, a reminiscent smile on her face. “Your father looked so handsome, standing up on the alter.”

“And that was enough?” You asked, not believing your mothers advice.

“Yes.” Your mother answered vehemently. “But I guess I never did tell you our horrific wedding story.”

You shook your head as you failed to recall such a story from your mother.

“Well, it was a long time ago . . .”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Mom, please . . .”

“Absolutely not, Imitari!” She interrupted; her voice furious. “I will not go and be a part of such a horrible union. You signed your fate, now deal with it! Goodbye!”

Imitari listened as her mother slammed the phone on the hook, ending the call. Well that had gone just about as well as she had thought. With a sigh, Imitari placed the payphone back on its raggedy hook and walked back towards the wooden church pews where she waited to be called back. Every inch of her was trembling hard as she sat down on the pew. But her trembles were not from anger from the horrible conversation with her mother, though that did get her blood boiling. But no, she was shaking like a leaf from sheer fear. She was utterly terrified of what she was about to do. She had called her mother in hopes of getting some consoling from the woman, but that had backfired so badly it was a miracle that she had escaped from her mother’s rage with just a lashing and nothing more. And really, Imitari should have known that such a thing would have happened. Her mother did not approve of Windsor nor of her daughter marrying him. And the less she said about her father and his rage at her decision to marry young, the better. It was all because Windsor came from a lesser background, one that was not tolerated by her hateful and close-minded parents. He came from the streets of the city and it showed. From the way he talked to the way he glowered at everything. He was gangster through and through. And though he was ruff and gruff with everyone, he was gentle towards her. It was this gentleness that made Imitari want to marry the wolf man in the first place. But now that she was sitting here in this run-down chapel, she was starting to have doubts.

What if what she was doing was wrong? What if this was a mistake? What if . . .?

Feeling trapped and losing her mind, Imitari looked desperately around the small room she was in. The old chapel was decrepit and raggedy. There were missing support beams and the wallpaper was peeling off in huge patches. Those empty patches had the cold winter air from outside blasting through them and it made Imitari shiver as her mother’s wedding gown that she had stolen could not keep her warm. The dim lights flickered constantly and the off to suddenly on nature of them hurt Imitari’s tear-filled eyes. This place was horrible and definitely not her first pick as the place she wanted to be married in. But it was the only place that would do quick marriages and with very little prep time. But was she really doing the right thing? She and Windsor had decided to get married on a whim. And so soon after meeting, too. Only about five months into the relationship. It had felt so right at the time. Everything with Windsor felt right. But now, grief held Imitari tight in its cold grasp. She just couldn’t shake the what-ifs out of her mind. She had tried everything, from breathing techniques to pacing around the chapel. Nothing worked. God, she wished that her mother had been more open-minded. What Imitari would do to get some comfort right about now. But no, her mother was exactly how she thought she would be and Imitari was alone. Utterly alone and scared. Imitari brought her hands up to her face and wanted to scream. But try as much as she could, the sound just wouldn’t come and instead, she found herself sobbing uncontrollably. What on earth was she doing, getting married so soon. She was only eighteen. There was still so much she wanted to do with her life and here she was practically throwing it all away. What was wrong with her?

The loud crack of the room door being opened startled the young Darkner. Quickly, she wiped at her eyes and looked up. In the doorway stood a rather muscular, 6’7 bipedal wolf darkner. Plush grey fur coated his body, getting longer and unkempt near the top of his head. The black tuxedo that he wore just barely fit his huge body and caused his fluffy fur to bunch up near the neckline. In all honesty, he looked ridiculous. There was no need for him to wear clothes, especially shirts as his fur took care of that need. But that was Windsor for you. He had picked up the strange wearing clothes habit not too long after meeting her and just stuck with it. It was pretty cute of him to copy the humanoid Darkners like he was, she wasn’t going to lie about that. And the tuxedo did make him look rather handsome and dapper. However, concern coloured his features. His light grey eyes were worried as they sparkled from underneath the swath of grey fur atop his head. It was as he stared at her that Imitari realized that she must look a mess. She wiped at her eyes, smearing her waterproof makeup a bit. But it was already too late. Windsor walked over to where she sat and kneeled down in front of her. Now that he was so close, she could smell the harsh smell of cigarette smoke mixing with his musky cologne. It was a delicious smell, like that of waterfalls. Though she did wish that the cigarette smoke wasn’t a part of the mixture. But more than that, she could see his eyes clearly under all that hair. There was so much love in them and it melted her heart.

“That bad, huh?” He spoke as he took hold of her hand, his voice was rough from all the smoking.

Unable to speak just yet, Imitari settled for nodding her head.

“Ah damn, I’m sorry Imi.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Silence fell over the two of them as they held each other for what felt like forever. Imitari laid her head on his shoulder and listened to every breath he took. This was nice, she thought. Laying here with her beloved holding her tight to him was everything she needed. Her mind calmed and the what-ifs slowly disappeared. It was a miracle too as she didn’t know how to tell him her marital fears. What would he think or say if she told him that she was too scared to go through with the marriage? More importantly, what would he do? He’d probably lose his temper. It was notoriously short. But he wouldn’t lose it at her. No, he would lose it at himself. Windsor was already rather self-conscious about this wedding. And that was saying nothing on his feelings with being with a girl who was not like him in any kind of way, age or otherwise. He was self-conscious and was trying his best to be the man she had always dreamed of. She couldn’t say anything to make his situation worse. But could she keep quiet on her fear and marry him? She didn’t get the chance to come up with an answer as Windsor pulled her back and looked at her deeply. Beautiful light grey eyes shown up from underneath his grey fur.

“You look beautiful.” He smiled.

Imitari smiled at his compliment, her cheeks burning. “Thank you, but you’re not supposed to see your bride before your wedding. It’s bad luck.”

Windsor growled softly. “It’s not bad luck. Whoever came up with that stupid rule needs to be shot.”

“I think that person is already dead.” She giggled.

“Good.”

Windsor leaned close and kissed Imitari passionately on the lips. Instantly, Imitari was sucked into the moment and kissed him back. Yes, she thought. This was everything that she needed. There was no way her mother could have calmed her as much as Windsor had been able to. Almost instantly, her mind calmed down and peace comforted her as she focused purely on the make-out session with her soon-to-be husband. Everything about this moment felt good and right. To have their tongues dancing wildly together was intoxicating. The intense feeling left her feeling so very drunk that the negative thoughts she had previously where calmed down to a dull roar, almost inaudible. And though she didn’t want it to end, she was grateful when Windsor was the first to break the kiss and she got to look him in the eyes. There was nothing but complete adoration in the light grey orbs and the sight made Imitari feel so much guilt for her previous breakdown. Here he was, baring his heart out and doing his best to make her feel better. Yet, she was still scared to make the commitment. What was she still so jittery? Why was it so hard think of Windsor as her soon-to-be husband?

“You still want to go through with this?” Windsor suddenly asked, his tone soft like he was afraid of the answer.

“I . . .”

Before Imitari could finish her sentence, the door loudly creaked open. In the doorway stood a shady looking fox Darkner, whose sly golden eyes were shifting back and forth as he looked about the room. He was decked out in the shabbiest brown tuxedo that Imitari had ever seen. Patches of the cloth were missing from the tuxedo and were replaced with colourful patches of cloth that didn’t belong. And that was saying nothing on the shaggy fur that covered the Darkner from head to toe. The fox Darkner didn’t seem to care that he had interrupted a private moment and instead walked into the room, only stopping once he was near Windsor.

“Mister and missus Windsor, we’re ready for ya.”

“Okay.” Windsor got to his feet, but before leaving, he leaned down and kissed Imitari on the cheek. “See you soon.”

Imitari nodded her head and watched as Windsor whispered something to the fox Darkner and then leave the room. She didn’t need to guess at what was said, she knew. Windsor was horribly protective of her. It had something to do with her being naïve and too trusting, according to him. So, most likely he threatened the fox Darkner since he was staying behind with her. Imitari didn’t know how to feel about that. On one hand, she appreciated Windsor’s concern and was grateful that he cared. But on the other, he didn’t need to threaten everyone who just so happen to get too close to her. It set the wrong first impression of not only Windsor but her too. But it was too late to scold him now. He had already left her alone with the fox Darkner and her racing thoughts. Not that she would have been able to say anything anyway. The second the fox Darkner had entered the room, her anxiety spiked to higher levels and she found herself shaking again. His words plus Windsor leaving the room before she could speak to him didn’t help things none either. Her time had passed, and it was now time for the ceremony. She was terrified. Was she really going to go through with this?

“Missus . . .?”

The sound of the fox Darkner’s concerned voice pulled Imitari out of her trance. “Wha?”

“Missus, it’s time to go.”

The fox Darkner held his arm out for her to take hold. Hesitant, Imitari reached a shaking arm out to him and took hold of his arm. He helped her up and led her towards the door. In an instant, she was in the main part of the chapel. She would have been impressed if this was a regular church. But this wasn’t and the main chapel looked horrendous. The room was super cold and practically barren, except for a few wooden pews and the sparse looking alter area. Areas where big beautiful ornate stained-glass windows would be were instead covered with giant wooden boards and the room was barely lit up. The same flickering lights that were in the other room, were in the main room as well and just added to the shabbiness. But it wasn’t all bad. There were ornate carpeted wooden floors which brought some colour to the overall drab room. It wasn’t much but it was something. Too bad it didn’t help Imitari to feel better about what she was about to do. Neither was the fact that the fox Darkner was practically dragging her towards the altar. The urge to tell him to stop so she could run away was strong. But then Imitari looked up the aisle and she saw him.

Standing at the altar, next to another shady fox Darkner that was going to marry you, was Windsor in his ill-fitting tuxedo. He looked so handsome as he stared at her with such adoration. It was pretty obvious that he was impatient for her to finally reach him as he fidgeted slightly. He was ready to make the commitment to her. More than ready and the sight of him and his commitment calmed Imitari down. Especially as she realized that he was the only one who was there for her right now. Everyone from her parents to her friends, had abandoned her when she said she was going to marry Windsor. They had been incessant with their insults and doubts of him that when Imitari hadn’t listened to their warnings, they left her. The only Darkner who had stayed by her side, even when she was at her lowest, was Windsor. He had told her his truth and never tried to sway her mind. Yes, he wasn’t the best of Darkners. He had a past and a not so good one at that. But that didn’t stop her from loving him. And she did love him. More than anything.

It was this intense love for the man wolf that spurred her to him. Instead of the fox Darkner dragging her to the alter, the roles were reversed. Now she was the one doing the dragging. Imitari just couldn’t wait to get to the alter and marry her loyal wolf man. Why she didn’t feel this way sooner, she had no clue. After all, she was going to get to spend the rest of her days with a Darkner who treated her right. A Darkner who loved her for who she was. It was everything she had always wanted and dreamed of. It was coming true. No longer did she have to dream. Instead, she would be living her dreams to the fullest and she was excited about it. More than excited, she was ecstatic. She was going to marry the Darkner of her dreams. And she couldn’t be happier.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“And that is how our wedding story goes.” Your mother finished. “Everything else is pretty standard fair, we said our vows and everything. You know.”

You were stunned silent. Never would have imagined that your parents would have eloped the way they did. Or that they came from such poverty and disadvantage. It didn’t show with how they lived their lives now. But it did explain why they were so free spirited and kept their childish ways. They had married so young and against their parents wishes. And how your mother’s parents had talked so baldly about your father was really harsh. It didn’t help that they probably didn’t know your father personally and just judged him based on his intimidating appearance. According to your mom, your father was rather thuggish looking in his youth. But even still, that was no reason to judge him. You didn’t know your grandparents due to your parents never telling you about them, but this knowledge of them made you look at your grandparents in a different light. You supposed that this was why your parents had never told you this story. Either that or they were afraid that you would see them in a different way as well. But you could never see your parents in a bad light. You just couldn’t. After this story, you learned just how much they loved each other, and they still loved each other. And that love transcended any and all negative speculation that anyone ever had about them. That was the moral of the whole story.

“Wow . . .” You signed, still at a loss for words.

“I’m sorry for never telling you that story, honey.” Your mother apologized. “But I’m glad I told you now as I think our story could help you.”

“You think so?” You asked.

“Yes,” She responded with glee. “Tell me, how much do you love Jevil?”

You didn’t even hesitate in your answer. “More than you can imagine, mom. I love him so much.”

“Then you have nothing to fear.” She patted your shoulder. “You can do anything, even walk down the aisle, as long as you hold onto that love you feel for Jevil.”

You thought about her words and wanted to cry. She couldn’t be more right. You were freaking out over nothing and not focusing on the big picture here. And of course, you weren’t surprized that you were failing to see the grand scheme of things. It was something you tended to do by pure accident. But you were so glad that it was pointed out to you because you would have never come to this conclusion on your own. You never would have thought that your love for Jevil could give you the strength to conquer your fears. However, your mother was always coming up with unorthodox solutions to difficult problems. So, you were not surprized with her rationale. And in fact, you were grateful for her unusual thinking. You were about to thank her when you heard the door open. Standing in the doorway was your tuxedo wearing father. He looked real dapper wearing the black tuxedo that your mother made for him. The clothes fit his bulky frame perfectly. And even though he still looked intimidating as all heck, he seemed happy. Especially when he saw you. His eyes brightened and a smile crept onto his face, showcasing sharp fangs. He held out his arm and looked to you.

“Dear, it’s time.”

You turned back to you mom and gave her a quick hug. “Thanks, mom, for everything.”

“No problem, sweetie.” She clapped her hands together. “Now go get your husband. He’s waiting for you.”

You nodded your head before walking over to your father and taking hold of his arm. Slowly, he led you out of the room and into the rose and lilac infested dark castle corridor. The smell and sight of the flowers flooded your senses, making you dizzy. Everything was so festive out in the dark castle hall. And compared to the small room you were just in, which was nicely decorated too, the hall was in a league of its own. Mixing with the bombardment of flowers, there were strands of lilac, sky blue and white paper streamers thrown haphazardly on just about every surface that could be reached. Ornate ribbons hung from those paper streamers and colourful confetti coated the floor, tangling in the long train of your dress. It was honestly one of the most beautiful things you had ever seen in the castle. And the fact that this was all done by the King and his servants was just outstanding to you. The King didn’t have to do all of this for you and Jevil. He didn’t need to go all out like this for your wedding, and yet, he did and all out of the kindness of his heart. It made you really appreciate the King and all that he has done for you and Jevil, when he didn’t have to. How you were going to repay him, you had no clue. But it was the first thing you wanted to do once everything had settled down.

“You look so beautiful.” Your father whispered suddenly.

You looked to your father only to see him staring at you lovingly. The sight made your cheeks warm. “Thanks dad, you clean up well yourself.”

He chuckled at the compliment. “You know, you don’t have to go through with this.”

“Dad!” You fussed, shocked that he would say something like that. “I thought that you and Jevil were getting along now.”

“We are . . .” He hesitated for a moment. “It’s just . . . I never thought that I would be giving you away to him so soon.”

“Daddy . . .”

You were stunned silent, tears threatening to escape as your father’s sudden confession played over and over in your head. It must have taken a lot for him to be able to admit his feelings like he had, and you appreciated his efforts. Your father wasn’t the type to admit his feelings easily. And though you didn’t want to condone his underhanded remark about Jevil, you couldn’t help but hug your old man. He seemed shocked at first but them immediately hugged you back. His embrace was bone crushingly tight. So tight that you thought you were going to pop right out of your form fitting dress. Whatever feelings he was struggling to express via words was said through his embrace and you understood it all. He was happy for you yet worried for you all at the same time, and it was tearing him up on the inside. You didn’t know how to get him through his conflicting emotions, but you hoped that this precious moment helped even if just a little bit. The two of you stayed holding each other for what felt like forever. The moment was only broken by your father when he pulled you back. He looked at you for a moment, taking in the moment, before wrapping your arm back in his and continued walking toward where the ceremony was being held.

The two of you walked down the decorated corridor in silence, the melancholic silence only being ruined by the soft sounds of jovial music playing further down the corridor. The closer you got to the huge double doors that housed your ceremony, the louder the music became. Soon, you were recognizing the upbeat pop music that blared down the hallway. It was one of the few pop songs that Jevil actually liked, by the band Kitchen Police. Memories of when you had first introduced Jevil to the band replayed in your mind and made you smile. You were glad that he had taken to the band as much as he did, but to listen to them for the wedding really shocked you. As soon as you had heard the familiar song, it had stopped, and everything had gone silent. It was almost eerie how quiet things had suddenly got and it made you curious about what was happening in the audience chamber. Luckily, it wasn’t long before you and your father were standing in front of the huge wooden double doors that led to the audience chamber. A familiar cat Darkner, whose name you couldn’t recall, was guarding the double doors. He waved at you before opening the door and signalling to someone that you were coming in. When he opened the door, you could see some of what the inside was like. But you couldn’t get a good view.

“You can go in now.” The cat Darkner said suddenly. “Oh, and congratulations, miss.”

You nodded your head in acknowledgment of his kind words as the huge doors opened up for you. It took everything you had to keep your mouth from dropping to the floor. The last two rooms you had been in were nothing compared to the audience chamber. You barely recognized the room. Before, it was just a dark room with the occasional potted plant to give the black and white motif a pop of colour. But now, it was totally decked out in colourful flowers, streamers, ribbons and confetti. It was unlike anything you had ever seen in the room. And that was saying nothing of the massive crowd that littered the room. It was so lively in here. Everyone was here for your big day, even Darkners you didn’t know were here. It was a full house. It was the fullest you had ever seen the audience chamber and the sight left you stunned. All these Darkners had come for your big day, even though you were sure not everyone knew you. Or Jevil for that matter. The two of you were nobodies in these stranger’s eyes and yet, still they came to celebrate your union on behalf of the King. You were honoured, truly floored. But more than that, you knew you had a lot of work ahead of you in terms of thank you cards for everyone.

You took one step into the room and instantly, traditional wedding music began to play. The tune was soft to your ears, the melody a familiar rhythm that made your heart swell with anticipation. Without missing a beat, everyone’s eyes instantly locked onto you and tracked your every movement down the aisle. It was nerve wracking to say the least, to have all these eyes staring at you. Without your mask on, you felt too exposed to their gaze. Every inch of your skin tingled from their unwavering gaze and it felt uncomfortable. These Darkners have never seen you without your mask on and it showed. The way their eyes widened as they looked at you in awe spoke to the way they thought of you. Clearly, they hadn’t expected you to look the way you did so their stares were intense, almost like they could see into your soul. It was terrifying and the urge to hold your head down so they couldn’t see you was strong. It was rare of you to want to run and hide from people. You were an entertainer after all and being in the limelight was what you strived for. But there was something different about this situation you found yourself in that made you so nervous. You could only assume it was because you were about to be married. Regardless, you wanted to hide from everyone’s gaze. And you were about to hold your head down to keep everyone from seeing you. But before you looked down, you looked up really quick.

And you saw him.

Standing proudly in front of the throne was your beloved, Jevil. He was donned in a simple yet crisp black tuxedo, a lavender bowtie circled around his neck. Next to him was Seam acting as his best man. You loved how they had both cleaned up so well. But you didn’t have the chance to dwell on it as Jevil’s deep honey golden eyes stared at you in complete awe. The sight was mesmerizing and allowed you to lose the fear that had once been in the pit of your stomach. What was he thinking as he stared at you? You had no clue, but not once did he take his eyes off of you. Nor could you take your eyes off of him. He was like a beacon in the night, guiding you to him. And to him, you went. Your feet glided across the carpeted rug that was laid out for you, like you were floating on air. It took everything in your power to keep the slow pace your father was going and not run to Jevil. As you neared closer and closer, you realized that this was what your mother had been talking about. All the fear that had built deep inside you had practically disappeared when you saw Jevil. And confidence, excitement and love took its place. It was a wonderful feeling, one that you cherished. And as you finally made it to Jevil and your father placed your hand in Jevil’s, you realized that you would think back to this moment for the rest of your life. You watched as your father gave Jevil a strange look before taking his seat next to your mother. You then looked to Jevil and smiled at him.

“You look amazing.” He whispered.

You mouthed a quick thank you as the King took the stage and you turned your attention to him.

“Finally, the day has come.” The king bellowed, a smile on his face. “Dearly beloveds, we are gathered here today to witness the union of these two Darkners.”

The crowd erupted with applause and cheer. The cacophony of sound made you tear up a bit as you could hear their approval with every clap.

“Now, I have known these two for many years as they have personally performed for me and my son.” The king started. “And though I am sure they don’t want to admit it, their relationship was not all rainbows and sunshine. These two would fight like cats and dogs, I tell you.”

The king chuckled at his own joke and the crowd laughed along with him. Your face burned as memories of the past flooded your mind. The two of you would argue over every little thing. And most of those arguments were over stupid things. It was funny and a bit embarrassing at the same time to look back on. But even more, it was amazing to see just how far you and Jevil had come. From being hostile to each other to being madly in love. It was a complete 180 change. It had taken a lot of time and patience, but it was one that you were grateful for. You tried to picture what life would be like without Jevil by your side, what it would be like if you hadn’t of fallen so hard for him, but you couldn’t picture that kind of life. It was infeasible, impossible and quite frankly, not a life you wanted to live. You loved how things had turned out. And most important, you loved that you loved Jevil. Yes, it took a lot to get to this point, but you didn’t see it as wasteful. It was more like a dream, one that you permanently got to live in. You were happy and in love in this pleasant dream, what more could you ask for. Curious to see how he was handling the dredging up of such embarrassing memories, you looked to Jevil. He was handling them just as well as you thought he would. His face was beat red, and he was super sweaty and nervous all of a sudden. You could tell that he wanted to scratch at his head, like he usually did when nervous. But he didn’t. He continued to hold your hand but instead of looking at you like he had been, he looked down at his feet, like he was apologizing.

“But those argumentative days are over!” The king suddenly shouted, the sound startling you. “And thank goodness too, because if they had decided to stay angry at each other, then we wouldn’t be here today.”

The crowd made sounds of agreement at his statement and amongst the agreement, you could hear the sound of soft sniffles. Confused at the sound, you ripped your eyes from Jevil just long enough to sneak a glance at the congregation. You weren’t expecting some of the guests to start crying yet. It was still the beginning of the ceremony and though what the King had said was rather kind, it wasn’t enough to induce tears. At least you didn’t think it did. But sitting in the front where Jevil's family would have sat if he had invited them, where a gathering of female Darkners. They were much older and every one of them had teary eyes and tissues in their hands. You were shocked at the sight. The king had barely just started in his speech, and already they were crying like they were at a funeral or something. Confused, you looked to Jevil who had a small smile on his face. It went without saying that he knew something about those women but what, you didn’t know. You wanted to ask him; the urge was strong. But he was holding your hands and you didn’t want to break the connection. The situation made it impossible for you to speak. Not like you could sign without alerting everyone in the castle. But you wanted to know, curiosity was burning within you. Jevil must have seen that in you as he looked at you, grabbing your attention.

“Old ladies that I used to perform for when I was younger.” He mouthed. “They never thought I’d get married.”

You smiled at the quick story as a part of your heart warmed. Jevil didn’t feel comfortable inviting his family. With everything that he had been through with them, you were able to understand his feelings. However, you worried that he would be a bit sad during the wedding with no one there to cheer for him. But that worry was long gone now. You were so glad that he had some Darkners that he was close to, to celebrate with him his big day. And though they were crying loudly, you could only understand their feelings. The Jevil of the past that they knew would have never gotten married. So, seeing him now tie the knot must be an emotional journey for them. Regardless, you were glad that they were there for him. You squeezed his hands softly, hoping that the gesture showed your feelings. He seemed to understand as he squeezed your hand back.

“Jevil! Harlequin!” The king suddenly bellowed, startling both you and Jevil back into attention. “Today you choose each other before your family and friends, to begin your life together. For all the tomorrows that follow, you will choose each other over and again, in the privacy of your hearts. Let your love and friendship guide you, as you learn and grow together. Experience the wonders of the world, even as patience and wisdom calm the restless nature. Through your new partnership, may you triumph over the challenges in your path. Through the comfort of loving arms, may you always find a safe place to call home.”

“Thank you, your highness.” Jevil whispered.

The king nodded his head, the proud look on his face was radiant, much like himself. It was almost as if he would wedding off his two children, he was so proud. He reminded you of your father almost with how triumphant he looked. He didn’t bother to hide the fact that he was just as excited as you were and that made it difficult to contain your own excitement for what was to come.

“Now then, Jevil,” The king spoke, his tone soft. “Do you take Harlequin to be your lawful wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?

“I do.” Jevil didn’t hesitate at all as he looked to you, love filling his eyes. “I absolutely do.”

Tears threatened to overtake you as you replayed the simple declaration of love over and over in your mind. Never had you thought that you would hear such beautiful words come him. Yet, here you were. He had said it and with so little abandon too. There was no hesitation, no doubt or fear in his words. He was sure in what he was doing, like he had thought about it long enough and was now making his decision. The tears that were threatening you before were now flowing freely and surely, they were messing up your makeup. But you couldn’t hold them back anymore. Memories flooded your mind. Jevil had changed so much from the first time you met him. From a horrible cocky mess to someone so filled with love. It was so drastic of him yet welcoming. And he was going to be your husband. It was the only thing you could think about. Just sharing your life with him and creating a new beginning together. The thought had you giddy and emotional. Jevil squeezed at your hands gently, causing you to look up to him. Deep in those honey golden eyes of his, that look of unyielding adoration never left his eyes as he stared at you intently and mouthed a quick ‘I love you’.

“Harlequin,” The king called to you, grabbing your attention. “Do you take Jevil to be your lawful wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?”

You could feel all eyes on you as everyone waited with bated breath for your answer. This was it. This was the final piece of the puzzle. What you said here, determined everything for you. Visions of your future with Jevil, flashed before your eyes. You couldn’t wait to see him first thing in the morning, laying next to you in bed and hearing his soft breathing as his slept. The image was already in your mind. His peaceful sleeping face ad his soft snoring that he always declined that he did. You couldn’t wait to share a beautiful morning breakfast with him, or any meal for that matter. You just couldn’t wait to share everything with Jevil. Without you even realizing it, you found yourself nodding your head to the question that had been posed to you. There was no hesitation in you or your answer. You knew exactly what you wanted to do. It felt so right, like this was what you were meant to do. Because of that feeling, you were practically on autopilot, nodding your head and mouthing ‘I do’ over and over again. The king chuckled at your antics before speaking.

“If anyone has any objections to this marriage, please speak now.”

There was a pause in the ceremony as the King waited for a moment. There was nothing but silence and the soft sounds of sniffles. Not a word was said, not a hand raised in objection. It was quiet. Everyone gathered was on the same page. No one wanted to deny you or Jevil the opportunity to be together. It was obvious to everyone there that you two belonged together and no one wanted to ruin that. You were grateful for it too because you weren’t sure what you would have done if someone interrupted. You didn’t even want to think about that outcome. Not one bit. Instead, you focused your thoughts to the outcome that was happening right now. How wonderful everything was going to be for you and Jevil from this point now and into the future. Then it dawned on you. If anyone was going to object to your marriage to Jevil, it would be your father. And even though he and Jevil were starting to get along a lot better than before, you weren’t sure that your father was totally on board with you marrying him. You gave a quick glance to your father. He looked at peace as he held your mother’s hand while she dabbed at her tear stained eyes. You sighed in relief at the sight as hope that he and Jevil were finally at an understanding of each other filled your heart. He wasn’t upset and for that, you were glad.

“Then, by the power invested in me as your King, I pronounce you husband and wife.” The king bellowed triumphantly. “Jevil, you may kiss your bride.”

Without any hesitation, Jevil wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you close to him as he gently laid his lips on yours. Instantly, your mind blanked and you were sucked into the gentle kiss. The fear of everyone watching you engaging in something so passionate and personal disappeared completely as you heart fluttered hard in your chest. Never had you been more happy in your life than you were right now in this moment with Jevil. You never wanted this precious moment to end. And for a while, it didn’t. Your peace and your paradise were held in Jevil’s capable hands for what felt like forever. Jevil was the first to break the connection, the little spear of peace going with him. However, even though the kiss had been severed, his grasp on your attention was not. He held your attention fully as he looked you in the eyes. His golden eyes were like deep pots of honey, bright and filled with nothing but love for you.

“My bride . . .” Jevil whispered amongst the loud applause of the crowd. “I can get used to that.”

“We’re married.” You signed, unable to say anything else besides the obvious.

“Yes, we are.”

Jevil smiled, took hold of your hand and started leading you down the aisle towards the double doors of the audience chamber. The crowd’s cheers were so loud and some Darkners were tossing rice and confetti over you and Jevil as you walked to the doors. It was such an amazing celebration, one filled with the utmost of joy from every Darkner in the room. You couldn’t help but smile at the high energy of the room. Never would you have thought that so many Darkners would be so happy for you on your wedding day, let alone have such a turn out. But yet, here was practically the whole of the Dark World here for your big day. It was overwhelming but you tried your best not to think about it too hard and instead focused on walking with Jevil through the double doors and to the front castle doors. The walk itself was so familiar but having so many Darkners following you through the corridors and cheering was not. It wasn’t unpleasant per se, but it was very loud as their cheers echoed through the halls. It was by far the loudest you had ever heard the castle be.

The walk soon came to an end and the open front doors came into eyesight. It was such a beautiful day out, and though that did catch your attention, there was something else that really caught your eyes. Glowing just inside of the front gates was a familiar purple portal decorated with colourful flowers. Surrounding the portal were the Ruddin guards that typically guarded the front gates. The moment the Ruddin guards saw you emerge from the castle, they immediately stood at attention, their sharp weapons erect at their sides. Jevil stopped you just on the stoop of the castle steps and the both of you turned around to see Seam standing behind you both, one of his paws glowing the same purple as the portal and a smile on his face.

“I would waste your time with congratulations, but you have a honeymoon to get going on.” Seam spoke.

“Thanks, old friend.”

“Anytime.” Seam clapped Jevil on the shoulder before addressing the both of you. “Now, go and enjoy yourselves. I’ll waste your time when you get back.”

Jevil took hold of your hand and lead you to the portal. Before you both stepped through the portal, you both turned around and waved goodbye to everyone who had followed you out the castle. Everyone waved back and cheered loudly for you. In the crowd, you could see your parents smiling and clapping for you. You waved at them and they waved back. Jevil then turned to you and you to him, the question in his eyes didn’t need to be spoken aloud whatsoever. You nodded your head and the two of you stepped through the portal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 15, finally. Again, I want to apologize for the slow updates. To make up for the slow updates, I made this chapter extra long. I hope that you guys enjoy it. And as always, if you would like to help me make writing my full time career, please think about donating to my patreon or following my social media.
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